Cate Le Bon and Bradford Cox Announce Collaborative EP, Share “Secretary”

Cate Le Bon and Bradford Cox both released records earlier this year—Le Bon’s Reward and Deerhunter’s Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?, co-produced by Le Bon—but they’re already back with more, and together this time. The two have banded together for a fourth installment of indie label Mexican Summer’s Myths series. The Myths EPs each feature a Mexican Summer artist (in this case, Le Bon) in collaboration with a musician who works outside the label: The previous recordings have brought together Connan Mockasin and Dev Hynes of Blood Orange; Weyes Blood and Ariel Pink; and Dungen and Woods. Le Bon and Cox completed their seven-track contribution, Myths 004, in just one week. All recording took place in Marfa, Texas, during the annual Marfa Myths music and arts festival in 2018, of which Mexican Summer is a co-founder.

“Marfa is an extraordinary town. It feels like nothing else exists when you’re in it which is both comforting and unnerving,” said Le Bon in a statement. “We committed ourselves to embracing the chaos, surrendering to all moments and moods that travelled through. It’s a crude holiday scrapbook shared by all involved, an amalgamation of the changes in mood and light that shaped the days.”

Along with the EP announcement, Le Bon and Cox have released the lead single, “Secretary.” The Le Bon-led track, which explores office-worker malaise, squares perfectly with her descriptions of Marfa as insular and kaleidoscopic. With her languid voice over plinking keys, warm strings and backing vocals that vie for your attention, Le Bon creates a world of her own—before it shifts, suddenly and seamlessly, to stark spoken word from Cox. “Secretary,” like Marfa, “feels like nothing else exists when you’re in it.”

Mexican Summer has also released a five-minute mini-documentary on Le Bon’s furniture-building residency at this year’s Marfa Myths, with a cameo from Cox. Listen to “Secretary” and watch the Eli Welbourne-directed Have a Seat below. Further down, you’ll find Le Bon’s 2011 Daytrotter session and a 2009 Deerhunter performance from the Paste archives, along with the details of Myths 004.

Myths 004 EP Tracklist:
1. Canto!
2. Secretary
3. Companions In Misfortune
4. Constance
5. Fireman
6. Jericho
7. What Is She Wearing

Myths 004 EP Art: