It feels like pedal steel cameos are a dime a dozen on indie releases this year, though not many of those can boast the unusual sci-fi backbone of zannie’s forthcoming debut album How Do I Get That Star—a unique melding of familiar country-western sounds with out-there philosophical ideas and equally distant extraterrestrial sonic influence. The latest track arriving ahead of the record’s August 19 release date meditates on the often-jarring event of returning to one’s hometown after an extended absence, filtering that relatable feeling through the album’s lo-fi palette and surreal lyrics.
“‘for a while’ is a MIDI country song about my hometown of New Bern, North Carolina,” they share of the track before diving into its deeper meaning. “Thematically the song blends the philosophical concept of eternal return with the déjà vu–inducing experience of literally returning to where one is from.”
The song lands with a visual that sees zannie back in New Bern after having become an entirely new person since they left the town—beyond just the superficiality of the dragon costume they wear throughout the video. “The video features me in dragon form questing for the eternal fire which connects all lifetimes, at times by communing with those sentient and wise pines,” they add of the clip co-created by Sofi Shapiro. “I attempted to surf in the dragon costume at the end, but discovered the tail and head became quite heavy once drenched in water. I ended up burning the costume once I got back to New York, and overlaid that footage on top of my surfing attempts. ‘Return and burn,’ etc.”
Watch the video below, and pre-order the record here.