Matt Kivel Shares Gorgeous New Ambient Single, "Radiance"

Singer/songwriter Matt Kivel has shared a new single, “radiance,” taken from his forthcoming album, last night in america, out on May 10 via Cascine.

Kivel has been releasing music under his own name since 2012. He’s put out four solo albums over the years—Double Exposure in 2013 on Olde English Spelling Bee, Days of Being Wild in 2014 on Woodsist, and Janus and Fires on the Plain, both released in 2016 on Driftless. He’s previously collaborated with Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes.

With a minimalist foundation of hushed vocals, a gentle drum machine and gusty synths, “radiance” pairs ambient folk-pop with the good-natured acceptance of life’s inevitable yet resplendent gear-turning.

According to a press release, “last night in america is a culmination of sorts—not only of his cross-country travels, but also of his solo project. While living in his Austin home, Matt put together a home recording studio for the first time, and he proceeded to write and record the new album — every instrument, every sound—entirely by himself.”

“In Austin, I started to enjoy a much slower pace of life,” Kivel says. “Walking from my house every morning through my neighborhood, past the creek, under the live oak trees, I could sort of still my mind in a way that I had never been able to before. I started putting together a record that was a reflection of that state of mind— something very calm and still.”

Listen to “Radiance” below and scroll down for Kivel’s upcoming tour dates.

Matt Kivel Shares Gorgeous New Ambient Single, “Radiance”