The Rayes are at it again with their new single “Thoughts,” jumping right into a daydream, deep into the late summer of the 1970s, but still fresh and different. With that first pounding beat of the drum, coupled with scratchy guitar lines, you know you’re in for something special. With every step through the track, another layer of synths is added to create an ever-deeper soundscape that builds and builds around the sweetly nostalgic vocals from sisters Jordan and Rebecca Stobbe as they flow with an effortless sway over the backbone of the track.
Imagine a movie with nostalgia in the starring role. It would unfold in the golden colors of the late summer 1970s film, and its music would most probably be sung by The Rayes. Their music is emotive, at times haunting. Hard to pinpoint specifically but easy to feel with every note, “Thoughts” stands out in the pantheon of jams of the ’80s that transcends era, all the way from the first sweeping drag of its drumbeat. The song sparkles with cheeky echoes of harmony, chiming synths, and that signature gritty guitar. Its lyric takes us traveling along a stream-of-consciousness map of hidden thought processes that muse and beguile both.
“Thoughts” is the first single from The Rayes’ eclectic new album, Limb Pulled Taut. The new album promises to offer all of the familiar, endearing characteristics of this trademark duo: catchy melodies on top of lilting harmonies and McCartney-esque bass lines.
This Seattle-born, Melbourne-based band has been busy completing a new album that transverses time and emotion in an exploration of identity and yearning, to find the bright moments within. Robert has produced works from Julia Jacklin, Didirri, and Nat Vazer. The majority of this album was recorded at Rat Shack Studio with Robert Muinos, giving a sense of real proximity and intimacy.
The Rayes have built a great music community in Melbourne, playing festivals like Brunswick Music Fest, BDKFest, and Enlighten Festival (Canberra), as well as venues that include The Night Cat, The Tote, The Gasometer, The Workers Club, and The Retreat. Their North American performances have been equally impressive, with gigs at iconic venues like Neumos and The Crocodile in Seattle, Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, and Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.
This July, The Rayes will be touring the West Coast of the USA, including a much-anticipated performance at Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party to promote “Limb Pulled Taut.” “Thoughts” is an experience of the very heart: sweet, honest, from swelling harmonies on down to good ol’ rocking out. Whether you’re a long-time fan or this is your first exposure to these sounds, “Thoughts” will have you salivating for more of that classic magic that Rayes just oozes out with every chord strummed.
You can find more of The Rayes at:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
You can listen to ‘Thoughts’ below:
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.