Portland’s Daniel Rafn has been extremely hard at work on his fourth release, The Hanged Man, due out this Friday. We’ve got your exclusive first listen to the impressive 10-track gem in its entirety.
“The Ether” begins the work slowly, building up into an other-worldly sound that gets our hearts racing, even though it’s a slower track. “Shalom” is ethereal in its presentation as well, discussing inspiration and guidance in its tranquility, while “Contemplation” leads in with quirky sound effects and lyrics like “why try? / just give up and lie down” address the topic of prayer. It’s as if you’re in his head during a stream of consciousness timeframe, which perhaps is what the title alludes to. “The I And The All” starts like a religious chant, our thoughts on that track with its premiere here.
DoublePlusGood is featured on “The World Inverted”, a song replete with light reverb and Daniel’s gorgeous vocals to set the tone of the rest of the track. “Itto Ryu” brings a more vibey feel to the album, something we can see people dancing to at 2am in a nightclub in the East Village. “I’ll Be on This Half” is notable for its simple sound, led by synth bass, and “Le Pendu” holds the same simplicity with a more ballad-like temperament in lyrics like “the traitor inside will try to save you”, making us question the complexity of the track. “The Significator” brings more layers into its sound space, a darker song in its composition than its predecessors. The album rounds out with “Peace”, a message much needed in the world right now but something that is often overlooked. The song has a twinkling sound to it, and is an all-instrumental track that brings your heart rate back down with its luminous sounds.
The entire album feels as though it came from another planet, gorgeous and provocative in its disposition.
The Hanged Man is due out October 21st on Warble Records. It is available for preorder now. Daniel Rafn plays his album release show tonight at Holocene in Portland.
