Sultan + Shepard announce their new studio album Forever, Now with the first single “Losing Ground.” Slated for release on February 17, 2023 on Lane 8’s This Never Happened label, the Canadian electronic duo are preparing for a comprehensive sonic journey. For the new single, the duo are joined by LA-based artist Tishmal, who delivers an emotionally stirring vocal performance. “Losing Ground” is wrapped in pensive atmospherics and soothing melodies while bubbling synths and articulate percussion offer the perfect amount of direction. Lastly, the warm sonority establishes brilliant support for Tishmal’s vocals to effortlessly glide over.
In regards to the artistic process behind the track, Ned, one of half of Sultan + Shepard, shares:
The writing chemistry in the room with the four of us was really inspiring and Tishmal’s voice went places that gave us goosebumps constantly. This particular vocal came out very quickly one day as we were working on a few other ideas but immediately had its own identity as something special. There’s an incredible depth to these lyrics and also simplicity since there are only four lines, which felt very poetic to us.”
With the release “Losing Ground,” Sultan + Shepard offer a glimpse into the realm of Forever, Now.
When we began working on ‘Forever, Now,’ the world had started to open up from the pandemic, we had begun touring again, and it felt like the great thawing of pent-up feelings and emotions were being released from us, and also all over the world. Some of these feelings were beautiful and emotional, others darker and messier. Most of this album was written during breaks between shows when we’re back in our studio but we still had this sense of energy moving, flowing, and being allowed to trickle into new places with new feelings
Not surprisingly, a lot of the music leaned towards more joyful energy, bursting with positive emotions while most of the lyrics and vocals we had recorded with our collaborators were asking deeper questions about longing, separation, and time passing. It was a time of growth and positivity amidst general change and often chaos for the world but also for us personally.
Sultan + Shepard
The concept of ‘Forever, Now’ grew out of this familiar feeling of being grounded in a place of creativity despite being in new places sonically or physically. We realized that wherever we went, there we were. Things were always moving and changing, as we ourselves were too. But through the act of being sincere in expressing our emotions, a sense of being in just the right place or hitting just the right note would often arise.”
Forever, Now Tracklist
“Sirens”
“Making Time” feat. Julia Church
“Losing Ground” feat. Tishmal
“Concorde”
“Elenore” feat. Andrew Belle
“Neptune”
“You Already Know” feat. Benjamin Roustaing
“Maybe I Was” feat. PJ Harding
“RnR”
“Zima” feat. Delhia de France
“Forever Now”
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More about Tishmal
Tishmal is the debut solo project of Rachel Brockbank. Tishmal means “hummingbird” in Luiseño, the language of her Native American heritage. The name was given to her as a young girl, around the same time she began to write music. Tishmal’s star is rapidly rising opening dates for big names like CHVRCHES, Zara Larsson, The Aces, Hippie Sabotage, and XYLØ. Her brand of brooding, intelligent pop is finding a home with fans of other female powerhouses like Lorde and Tove Lo.
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