British singer-songwriter Eleni Drake announces her new album Surf the Sun and releases its first single ‘Guts’. Surf the Sun will be released on May 19 via her own Vanilla Sky Recordings label, and follows her 2021 debut full length Can’t Stop the Dawn.
Originally from London, in 2022 Eleni Drake decided to leave her life in the UK behind and move to Melbourne almost on a whim. She knew only a handful of people on that side of the world, but she was longing for a fresh start in an environment where she could feel more like herself; where she could break bad habits and explore life outside of her comfort zone. But first, there were emotional loose ends to tie up back home. This is the driving force of Surf the Sun; the carousel of emotions as Drake prepared for this giant leap.
Built upon an energising drum backbone, the album’s lead single and first taste ‘Guts’ is a love song on which timeless cool is balanced with vulnerability. Delivered with a vocal performance imbued with personality, her thoughtful production lets gorgeous layers of sound blur into each other like a sunset, a soft focus that puts her voice satisfyingly at the forefront of this ode to a partner who lifts her up at her worst.
Speaking more on the lyrical inspiration of new single ‘Guts’, Eleni Drake shared: “’Guts’ is really about when someone holds a space for you that makes you feel so full. Being able to open up to someone, share experiences with them, and they respond with such love and care for you, is such a beautiful thing. You feel seen and heard. I typically struggle to open up to people, and always find it easier to do it through my music, but this specific person made me feel like I could tell them anything and I appreciated every moment I got to spend with them. So I guess the song is just about the love and gratitude I have for this person, and big thank you to them, for letting me be a part of their life.”
Surf the Sun:
- All I Know
- I’m Your Man
- Guts
- Dizzy
- Strawberry Moon
- Rookie
- Shangri-La
- Harsh
- Buzz Cut
- Shades Of You
- Evergreen
