Sunsoaked and smoldering, RIVER’s radiant sophomore single “Dance in the Darkness” is a buoyant array of stirring passion and heartfelt connection.
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Stream: “Dance in the Darkness” – RIVER
Sunsoaked and smoldering, RIVER’s radiant sophomore single is a buoyant array of stirring passion and heartfelt connection. An intimate and catchy indie pop song, “Dance in the Darkness” lights a fire within – inviting us to delve into ourselves and our loved ones as we sink into the valley of intimacy and longing.
I’m gonna wait for you.
I’m gonna dance in the darkness,
dance in the darkness.
Until you back with me,
I’m gonna dance in the darkness,
Dance in the darkness.
Released September 24, 2021, “Dance in the Darkness” arrives at the onset of autumn as an ethereal and atmospheric immersion of sonic wonder and tight pop passion. Driven by a soft cinematic pulse, the track serves as a follow-up to RIVER’s anthemic debut single “Inappropriate” (August 2021), itself a striking introduction to a band we cannot wait to hear more from over the coming months. Hamburg-based and California-bred, the duo of Aljoscha Christenhuß and Christian Vorländer have a bit of indie pop magic about them: Their music stirs and soars, finding some kind of evocative middle ground between the energetic songs of acts like Smallpools and Walk the Moon, and the more soothing sounds of AQUILO, Daughter, and Broods. In fact, this song in particular may be better likened to ’80s artists like Tears for Fears and The Outfield – yet however you choose to understand it, there is no denying that RIVER have got some special about them.
Massive, enchanting gang vocals rise to the fore in a chorus full of emotion as RIVER reach a tender, yet nonetheless cathartic, climax:
You’re the light I feel, you’re the light I feel,
You’re the rhythm, that keeps me going
Through my darkest days, cause you’re the light I feel.
“The song is about long-distance relationships and that certain aura of romantic mysticism they bear,” the band tells Atwood Magazine. “But ultimately it’s about the realization that most of all, these relationships are about longing and anticipation, about missing your significant other and spending way too much time on the road. That’s what we call the human condition: Like moths to a flame, we are driven by our hearts. Drawn back, always back into the light that guides us.”
I’m gonna live for you.
I’m gonna dance in the darkness,
dance in the darkness.
Until I follow you,
I’m gonna dance in the darkness,
Dance in the darkness.
It’s often times when we’re not around our loved ones that we feel our love the most: Distance and yearning truly can make the heart grow fonder, for in the physical absence of that person, we feel a loss: We know what it’s like to be without them, and can feel the magnitude and impact of their presence on our lives. “Dance in the Darkness” expresses the experience of that kind of intimate emotion in waves of warmth and electricity. It’s a compassionate song – one that comes from a place of beauty, solitude, appreciation, and devotion.
No doubt RIVER’s story is only just beginning, and we are long for ride. Stream “Dance in the Darkness” below to feel the full weight of this indie pop band’s light.
You’re the light I feel, you’re the light I feel,
You’re the rhythm, that keeps me going
And I won’t stop until I hold you.
You’re the light I feel, you’re the light I feel,
You’re the rhythm, that keeps me going
Through my darkest days, cause you’re the light I feel.
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Stream: “Dance in the Darkness” – RIVER
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