Cory Hanson, best known for his work in psych-pop act Wand, is releasing a new solo album called Pale Horse Rider on March 12. Following on from lead single “Paper Fog” comes this week’s second single “Angeles”.
Having been born and grown in California, Hanson is fully immersed in Los Angeles’ mythology, and that’s where we find him on the quivering acoustic ballad “Angeles”. Although, there’s plenty of his own personal weird and wonderful musings thrown in – from psychoanalysts egging his car to dream ambulances driving around his skull – capped off by the closer-to-home evocation of forest fires. Aided by carefully-placed atmospherics, lilting keys and golden tendrils of pedal steel, Hanson builds “Angeles” into a psychedelic soufflé that is unexpectedly tender as he hits the titular word in the simple-but-affecting chorus.
Adding to the hallucinogenic nature of “Angeles” is the excellent video, which combines clips of a muppet Hanson with animations of his dreams as experienced by a shape-shifting wolf protagonist. It’s a trip.
Watch the video for “Angeles” below or listen to it on streaming platforms.
Cory Hanson’s new album Pale Horse Rider comes out on March 12 through Drag City. You can find him on Bandcamp, Twitter and Instagram.
