Chrystia Cabral has shared details of a new album as SPELLLING. The Bay Area-based artist will release The Turning Wheel on June 25 through Sacred Bones Records.
The 12-song The Turning Wheel follows SPELLLING's acclaimed 2019 LP Mazy Fly, which Exclaim! gave a 9/10 score.
Entirely orchestrated and self-produced by SPELLLING, The Turning Wheel finds the artist working with an ensemble of 31 collaborating musicians to create a set of songs that revolve around "themes of human unity, the future, divine love and the enigmatic ups and downs of being a part of this carnival called life."
The LP is split in two halves, "Above" and "Below." While the former employs sounds said to be "jubilant, warm and dreamy," the latter features a "more chilling and gothic tone."
The Turning Wheel's "Above" side is previewed today with opener "Little Deer," which SPELLLING identifies as something of a thesis track for the record.
In a statement, she explained, "I feel that way because it not only showcases the greatest range of instrumentation that is featured on the album, but also because it accomplishes this strong impression of theater that I was striving for with the album as a whole.
"I'm especially proud of the lyrics. The challenge with the lyric writing was being able to speak to really large concepts like karma, reincarnation and the cycle of life without making the song sound burdened. I wanted the lyrics to match the grandeur of the instrumentation but still be easy to sing along to. I figured out a way to build the lyrics using a lot of abstract language that is still singable but odd in a way that I hope makes it memorable."
The Turning Wheel:
1. Little Deer
2. Always
3. Turning Wheel
4. The Future
5. Awaken
6. Emperor with an Egg
7. Boys at School
8. Legacy
9. Queen of Wands
10. Magic Act
11. Revolution
12. Sweet Talk
Pre-order The Turning Wheel.
The 12-song The Turning Wheel follows SPELLLING's acclaimed 2019 LP Mazy Fly, which Exclaim! gave a 9/10 score.
Entirely orchestrated and self-produced by SPELLLING, The Turning Wheel finds the artist working with an ensemble of 31 collaborating musicians to create a set of songs that revolve around "themes of human unity, the future, divine love and the enigmatic ups and downs of being a part of this carnival called life."
The LP is split in two halves, "Above" and "Below." While the former employs sounds said to be "jubilant, warm and dreamy," the latter features a "more chilling and gothic tone."
The Turning Wheel's "Above" side is previewed today with opener "Little Deer," which SPELLLING identifies as something of a thesis track for the record.
In a statement, she explained, "I feel that way because it not only showcases the greatest range of instrumentation that is featured on the album, but also because it accomplishes this strong impression of theater that I was striving for with the album as a whole.
"I'm especially proud of the lyrics. The challenge with the lyric writing was being able to speak to really large concepts like karma, reincarnation and the cycle of life without making the song sound burdened. I wanted the lyrics to match the grandeur of the instrumentation but still be easy to sing along to. I figured out a way to build the lyrics using a lot of abstract language that is still singable but odd in a way that I hope makes it memorable."
The Turning Wheel:
1. Little Deer
2. Always
3. Turning Wheel
4. The Future
5. Awaken
6. Emperor with an Egg
7. Boys at School
8. Legacy
9. Queen of Wands
10. Magic Act
11. Revolution
12. Sweet Talk
Pre-order The Turning Wheel.
