New York indie rock artist shares stripped-down single off upcoming new album
Trace Mountains, the project of LVL UP’s Dave Benton, has unveiled “Friend,” the second single from his forthcoming album Into The Burning Blue, set for release on Sept. 27 via Lame-O Records. While the album’s opener and previous single “In A Dream” is a lush and expansive production, “Friend” strips things down, narrowing in on Benton’s introspective lyrics and a more intimate sound. Over delicate fingerpicked guitars and light percussion, Benton explores themes of loneliness and the search for community – a reflection of his own experiences following the end of an eight-year relationship.
The song, inspired by Tom Petty, marks a personal and artistic milestone for Benton. “I like to joke that I’m a ‘loner in recovery,’” shared Benton. “When I wrote ‘Friend,’ I was facing a pretty big transition in my life. I needed to address my own loneliness, and writing the song was like my first step on that path. It was my way of saying, ‘Yep, I feel lonely sometimes,’ and dealing with that good old millennial malaise. I’m just really grateful for the people in my life and trying to tackle the meaning of a word like ‘Friend’ feels impossible, but it’s fun to try.”
The accompanying video, directed by Alyx & Sam Soard, humorously portrays Benton as a werewolf, capturing the surreal nature of modern social isolation. “Dave and his reputation as a well-known cat mom brought a unique perspective to this concept,” Sam shared. “Exaggerating his personality in this creature-feature felt like a fun way to explore the song’s themes. Our goal was to use humor to emphasize the importance of genuine companionship in a world that often feels chaotic and disconnected.”
You can pre-order Into The Burning Blue HERE, and check out the video for “Friend” below:
