We’re pleased to premiere the absorbing new song from Bay Area singer-songwriter Jacob Aranda. ‘Strangers in a Field’ is a lyrically-powerful song of familial alienation and isolation. Aranda’s low, sonorous voice, lifted by haunting backing vocals, is really engaging, drifting over gorgeously-textured musical layers. The video, filmed and directed by Sara Gallagher, is a striking piece of art in itself. Placing the image of the endless, empty sea alongside the city streets is particularly effective – different ways to feel small and isolated. Knowing what the song is about, it’s also genuinely moving to see Aranda joined by his mother and siblings in a graceful dance by the ocean. Their arrival and movement mirrors the song’s musical shifts and currents. It’s an emotional visual that reinforces the message and sound of the song perfectly.
Aranda says of the song and video: “The song was written right after my intense period of self destruction and rebirth. It was written while processing the feelings of being homeless, sleeping in my truck or in the park, the beach. Leaving behind friendships and family, not feeling like I deserved either. The video is kind of a miracle to me. I never would have asked my mother or siblings to collaborate. I never felt comfortable asking for anything. But this song, this passionate and collaborative effort gave me strength. I asked and they came. We filmed this on mother’s day. My mother is a lifelong dancer and choreographer. It is her passion. She put a lot of that on hold to birth and raise seven children, but most of us grew up in her dance studio. Early memories of sweat and patience. Rhythm and movement…We had such a wonderful and healing weekend, filming this together. This art is healing to me, I hope it can provide some comfort and insight to others.”
This is the second single to be released from the forthcoming album ‘War Planes’, due out on 1st September. The themes of family history and intergenerational trauma are threaded through this ethereal-sounding album. There was an sense of hopelessness in Aranda’s first album, 2018’s ‘Great Highway’, but this time around, there’s a move towards healing, reconciliation and regeneration. Check it out – this is a finely-written, sensitive song from an album that promises to be a very rewarding listen.
