Today Alex Maas of The Black Angels announces his mesmerizing and soul-bearing solo debut, Luca. Named for Maas’ firstborn, whose name means “bringer of light,” Luca was a long time coming, with some of its songs dating back almost a decade, put together piece-by-piece over the course of a couple years. A powerful work of gentle psychedelia, and a notable sonic departure from the heavy, pulse-raising sound that Maas has become renowned for, Luca was co-produced by Maas and Jack White’s front of house, Brett Orrison. The album showcases “a whole different part of my brain,” according to Maas. “I wanted to go someplace musically that I’ve never gone before.” What resulted is a hypnotic detour along the wild trails of Maas’ homestead of Texas, driven by nature and colored by a swirl of meditative thoughts about its creator’s son, the often-scary world he was born into, and how to navigate the perils of modern society.
Luca will be released on December 4th via Innovative Leisure. Pre-order the album now HERE.
To celebrate today’s album announcement, Alex Maas shares the record’s first single, “Been Struggling.” A dreamy waltz that takes a winking look at memory and fate, “Been Struggling” is out now.
1. Slip Into
2. The Light That Will End Us
3. Special
4. Been Struggling
5. 500 Dreams
6. WWITYM
7. All Day
8. Shines Like The Sun
9. American Conquest
10. The City
Photo credit: Barbara FG
