The Haunting Return of Starfall Red Song

In the midst of chaos and darkness, the music world received an unexpected shockwave with the return of Salem, the notorious witch house project that vanished into thin air eight years ago. Their latest single, 'Starfall,' is a sonic masterpiece that embodies the eerie, paranoid atmosphere we're living in today.

As I watched the video for the song, I felt a rush of weightlessness and vertiginous thrill as a towering tunnel cloud breaks into frame, accompanied by a psychedelic waterfall of rave synths. The 2-minute track is a hypnotic blend of shoegaze, emo, and rap that defies genre conventions. Unlike many other artists today, Salem seems to grasp the essence of our new world – a place where everyday life has become darker, more chaotic, and increasingly feral.

The duo's Jack Donoghue and John Holland, along with their former member Heather Marlatt, chase tornadoes across Oklahoma and Texas in the video, looking exhausted and spiritually drained. The haunting visuals perfectly capture the atmosphere of Salem's music – a reflection of our collective mood as we navigate the darkness that surrounds us.

In an era where news headlines are dominated by catastrophic events – COVID-19 deaths, children locked in cages on the border, genocides breaking out around the world, and wildfires ravaging the West Coast – Salem's announcement seemed trivial. But their return is a reminder of the power music has to transcend chaos and connect us with our emotions.

The accompanying mixtape, STAY DOWN, offers a glimpse into the duo's sonic experimentation during their eight-year hiatus. With 'Starfall,' Salem proves that they're still capable of crafting hauntingly beautiful music that resonates deeply with our times. As we navigate this new world, Salem's return serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder that, even in the darkest moments, there is always beauty to be found in the music.

Starfall red song