P&P Spotlight: New Constellations
It’s no secret that change is the only thing we can depend on, and despite that, many of us still consider it our biggest fear. We often foresee something coming that will steer us off our course, a temporary setback in the long run but seemingly the end of the world in the moment. We plead with God, the universe, or whatever we believe in to keep things constant and safe for as long as possible, while we dread that inevitable, unfortunate life-changing event. New Constellations centers their debut album It Comes In Waves around this concept. The title hints at the process of holding on and letting go, and each song moves through the progression of a relationship’s downfall.
The Portland-based dream pop duo consists of lifelong best friends Harlee Case and Josh Smith. They’ve been quietly building their unique world of celestial production and cinematic, immersive soundscapes since they were teenagers. These efforts culminated in It Comes In Waves, released on the same day as their landmark Hollywood Palladium show opening for The Midnight. At the show, Harlee spoke of their years-long journey that led to this milestone, and thanked the audience for celebrating with them.
YOU'LL LOVE NEW CONSTELLATIONS IF YOU LISTEN TO: Lorde, The Marias, The Japanese House, Lana Del Rey, Alvvays, Beach House
It Comes In Waves opens with a brief but powerful introductory track, one which has a self-explanatory title on the themes of the album. “Intro (Nothing Stays The Same)” begins soft and dainty but rapidly evolves into a more bass-focused, heavy-hitting, and dissonant sound. It sucks the listener into the album like the gravitational pull of a black hole, before cleanly transitioning into “Secret Safe.”
The lyrics of “I Disappear” plead for familiarity - for a relationship to stay in its course despite the ending seeming unavoidable - brought to life by a longing ache in Harlee’s vocal delivery. The spoken-word hook, “Wake up, never silent / Never wake up silent,” fades in and out at parts of the song, catching the listener’s attention like an internal warning bell that we tend to ignore. Then, the angsty “Hot Blooded” and guitar-led buildup of “I’m Waiting Now” characterize fighting for the relationship, and begging for your partner to come around.
Gallery from New Constellations' May 17 Hollywood Palladium show. All photos taken by Karly Ramnani.
“Caught On Your Line” simultaneously carries undertones of heartbreak (“We took too long and we ran out of time”) and relief that a traumatic period is over (“It’s a shock I made it out alive”). Even in this immediate aftermath, it’s natural to remain attached to the person you once ran to for cover, as “Dandelion” fleshes out. “It’s not always easy walking in the dark / tripping over the roots of our old scars,” sings Harlee of the ex-lover she calls her “sweet dandelion.”
It’s also natural to cope with an impulsive, drastic hair transformation, mentioned later in the album, but the time comes for us to “Believe Again.” In contrast to the fear of waking up from a perfect dream, conveyed eight songs ago in “I Disappear,” this eleventh track sees the singer coming to terms with reality. She finally understands that everything happens for a reason, and resolves to stop forcing things that are simply not meant for her anymore. The couple’s picture-perfect past still haunts her, but she doesn’t resent it; she accepts it as part of her journey towards becoming the best version of herself. The final two songs, “Edge Of The World” and “Do What You Want,” illustrate her coming out on the other side. This section of the album concludes the story of heartbreak, perfectly pulling it all together and serving as a beacon of hope that things do get better.
A few months after the Hollywood Palladium show, New Constellations kicked off Day 4 of Lollapalooza with an energetic, captivating mainstage set. Later this year, they’re set to make their Austin City Limits debut and further support It Comes In Waves with a headlining tour. We’d suggest grabbing your tickets now, so you can watch history in the making on stage!
It is truly just the beginning for New Constellations. They’ve already captured our hearts, and we’re beyond excited to be along for the ride. We hope that by now, we’ve inspired you to dive deeper into their world - here’s a playlist we’ve curated to help you get started!
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