Sufjan Stevens recently announced that his upcoming record, Aporia, was recorded in collaboration with his stepfather, Lowell Brams. With the record, Stevens diverts from his signature singer/songwriter sound, instead opting for vast soundscapes and instrumental scores. Stevens and Brams previously shared the lead single “The Unlimited,” detailing the forthcoming record’s New Age sound. Stevens now gives fans another taste of the upcoming record with “The Runaround,” a mostly instrumental number peppered with lo-fi vocals. The track’s accompanying video juxtaposes the song’s soothing nature by centering the visual around dangerous dirt bike stunts.
The video opens with a compilation of slow-motion shots that show bikers popping wheelies and cruising around on ATVs. While motorcycles and New Age music don’t often go hand-in-hand, the slowed-down visuals take on a whole new meaning when accompanied by the duo’s expansive synths and eerie percussion.
Ahead of releasing “The Runaround,” Stevens described the songwriting process and working with his stepfather on Aporia. “You know how it is with jamming: ninety percent of it is absolutely horrible, but if you’re just lucky enough, ten percent is magic,” Stevens said. “I just kept pulling out these little magical moments.”
Watch “The Runaround” video above.
Aporia is out 03/27 via Asthmatic Kitty. Pre-order it here.
