Devendra Banhart Releases New Track 'Sirens'

Devendra Banhart has released “Sirens,” the second song taken from his stellar upcoming album Flying Wig (out September 22 via Mexican Summer).

The accompanying music video is set in a dystopian society of Devendra’s creation and stars Devendra alongside multidisciplinary artist Dorian Wood as well as comedians Tim Heidecker and Mitra Jouhari. Support artists for his upcoming US/EU tour were revealed earlier this week. The tour starts October 1st in Iowa City and includes a stop at Manhattan’s Webster Hall on October 11th. Full details below.

Of the new track, Devendra says: “Sirens” is about the bewilderment that precedes longing, the space between “everything hurts” and “oh there's a nail stuck in my back,” it’s like the relief mixed with fear that comes from finally finding the target. We haven’t hit it yet - but we know where to aim, that’s where the “And Yet”-ness of this song is. Another theme that seems prevalent throughout the album is obstacles into antidotes. I mean, what a bummer right? "Only the violence will ever hold me tight” but if there’s no getting rid of then our only sane option is to learn to dance with it. This is all lyrical…musically we wanted it to feel like dancing alone, weeping in a crowd, and somehow even relaxing into that melancholy, the sensual side of sorrow, the mournful side of joy.”

Of the “Sirens” video, a collaboration with Christian Stavros directed by Joseph Wasilewski, Devendra says “We wanted to make a mini sci fi film that was equally dystopian and utopian. What we came up with was a world where only artists are allowed to run for any government positions, the presidency is always shared between two people. In our world two legends won, Tim Heidecker and Mitra Jouhari, and in this world everyone's a masseuse and massages are mandatory (played by myself and the amazing Dorian Wood) and crying is obligatory and enforced by law.”

Banhart, who has in recent years established himself as a lauded visual artist in tandem with his work in music, has been crafting intricate and captivating albums since 2002. Flying Wig, recorded in Topanga Canyon, Southern California with acclaimed Welsh musician Cate Le Bon as producer, is a landscape of recurrent dualities; a can of paradoxes, a box of worms. What goes up, must come down, eventually. “It’s about transmuting despair into gratitude, wounds into forgiveness, grief into praise,” ruminates Banhart.

The redwood and pine-surrounded cabin studio (once owned by Neil Young) where Banhart was “constantly listening to the Grateful Dead” somehow birthed something slick, city pop-adjacent and Eno-esque.

The album’s contributing circle was kept small and familiar; its personnel drawn from both artists’ tried, tested and trusted list of collaborators (Nicole Lawrence on pedal steel and guitar, Todd Dahlhoff on bass, Greg Rogove on drums, Euan Hinshelwood on saxophone), with Le Bon playing a panoply of additional parts (synths, guitar, percussion, bass, piano) herself. The record’s finishing touches also came courtesy of Le Bon stalwarts, with mixing and engineering by Samur Khouja and mastering by Heba Kadry.

Stepping outside of himself to examine the unspeakable, Devendra Banhart is suddenly freer than a bird. He is as free as a wig that transcends the body, transcends the head, and makes for the clouds.

DEVENDRA BANHART WORLD TOUR DATES

Aug 12 Los Angeles, CA The Hollywood Bowl =

Oct 3 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre +

Oct 4 Chicago, IL Thalia Hall *

Oct 6 Toronto, ONT The Phoenix Concert Theatre *

Oct 7 Montreal, QC Corona Theatre *

Oct 8 Burlington, VT Higher Ground *

Oct 9 Boston, MA The Sinclair @

Oct 11 New York, NY Webster Hall @

Oct 12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer @

Oct 13 Asbury Park, NJ Asbury Lanes ^

Oct 14 Washington, DC The Howard Theatre

Nov 7 Lisbon, PT Coliseu

Nov 8 Braga, PT Theatro Circo

Nov 10 Madrid, ES Palacio Municipal %

Nov 11 Valencia, ES La Rambleta %

Nov 12 Barcelona, ES Paral.lel 62 %

Nov 14 Paris, FR Le Grand Rex %

Nov 15 London, UK Troxy %

Nov 18 Lyon, FR Le Transbordeur %

Nov 19 Lausanne, CH Theatre de l'Octogone %

Nov 21 Milan, IT Auditorium Fondazione Cariplo %

Nov 22 Trieste, IT Teatro Politeama Rossetti %

Nov 23 Vienna, AT Globe %

Nov 25 Berlin, DE Passionskirche %

Nov 26 Hamburg, DE Kampnagel %

Nov 28 Amsterdam, NL Paradiso %

Nov 29 Brussels, BE Ancienne Belgique %

Dec 6 San Diego, CA Observatory North Park !

Dec 9 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore !

Dec 11 Portland, OR Revolution Hall !

Dec 12 Seattle, Wa Neptune Theatre !

Dec 13 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom !

! with Hayden Pedigo

* with Le Ren

@ with Miho Hatori

^ with Soma

% with John Moods

+ with Rogov

= with Carla Morrison

Photo Credit: Dana Trippe

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