You know it’s bound to be an upbeat day when a new single from The Beths drops. Currently on tour with our favorites in Lunar Vacation, the New Zealand group has released their first bit of new music today since 2020’s Jump Rope Gazers. “A Real Thing” is a blast of a song — it immediately recalls the indie-pop sound of classic labels like Slumberland records, with sugary sweet harmonies coalescing on top of a driving, punchy beat. The random synth breakdown (I think that’s a synth?) in the chorus has been stuck in my head since I heard it, and it’s bound to be stuck in yours. Lead singer Liz Stokes said the following about the track —
“‘A Real Thing’ is a kind of anxiety dream. It’s a bit muddled, a bit frantic, a bit sinister. It’s what came out of my guitar in late 2020, post-NZ election (and U.S. election). I was limply reaching for optimism about the future, but was really just marinating in dread.”
Watch the great music video for the track below, and check out tickets and dates for their tour here.