The Avalanches have conjured up a sonic sorcery once more, teaming up with Yeah Yeah Yeahs' fearless frontwoman Karen O for their bewitching new single 'Blue Shadows'. This haunting, soul-stirring track is the perfect blend of The Avalanches' trademark eclecticism and Karen's powerful vocals – think eerie landscapes and heart-wrenching balladry.
'Blue Shadows' masterfully incorporates a sample from Blue Gas's 1980s Italo classic 'Shadows From Nowhere', its pulsating beats and swooning synths perfectly complemented by Karen O's emotive delivery. Her poignant lyrics add an extra layer of pathos, painting vivid pictures of longing and loss.
The Avalanches' Robbie Chater reveals that the song was almost lost in transit – but fortunately, bandmate Tony Di Blasi unearthed it just in time. Initially demoed as an instrumental, Chater admits he never envisioned vocals for 'Blue Shadows', until Karen O's haunting contribution blew him away. "What she recorded still gives me goosebumps," he confesses.
Karen O herself is effusive about the collaboration, calling The Avalanches' previous album – and this single in particular – a 'gift to humanity'. She praises their 'We Will Always Love You' as a Top 10 favourite and reveals she "jumped at the chance" to work with them again.
The Avalanches are clearly on fire right now, having recently released tracks with Jamie xx and Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza, and Prentiss. They're also firing up the live circuit – expect more of their genre-bending magic at Primavera Sound Barcelona and London's Pitchfork Music Festival this autumn. And who knows? You might even catch them popping up with a surprise free party in the capital.
As Chater reminisces about The Avalanches' debut 'Since I Left You', he calls it "naïve, heart-on-sleeve" and "passionate, of-the-moment, full of joy". Sounds like they're still capturing that same magic all these years on.