Solar Bears Pay Homage to Psychedelic Science Fiction Scores on Their Newest Single

From Vangelis' dusky synth score for Blade Runner to Kraftwerk's robo-futurist odysseys, science fiction and electronic music have a long and storied history together, a tradition which Irish duo Solar Bears are happy to highlight on their newest track, "Gravity Calling."

Drawn from their forthcoming third LP Advancement, the four-minute burst of neon synthesizer work could score tense scenes from animated science fiction film classics such as Fantastic Planet or Akira. Its golden warm synth lines, its urgent minor key progressions, and its laser blast-like percussion give the tune a sense of mission or, as member John Kowalski put it in an emailed statement to THUMP: "'Gravity Calling' embodies the feeling of being close to something previous but being unable to grasp it. An epic otherworldly event, akin to being overcome by an oppressive heat wave or witnessing cascading plateaus."

In a press release, Solar Bears acknowledged a panoply of influences, ranging from krautrock, library music, psychedelic electronica, indigenous instrumentation, as well as a long-standing interest in experimental film, that contributed to the sound of Advancement. The band also tipped their hats to the American experimental light and film artist Michael Robinson, who designed the cover art, and who has helped develop a visual component for the duo's sound and live show.

Advancement will be released by the British independent label Sunday Best on March 18. Listen to "Gravity Calling" below.