Octavian Winters reveal a softer, more intimate side on their new single By the Stars released via Stratis Capta Records. Following the darker urgency of Elements of Air, the San Francisco group embrace more of their tender and ethereal side in their new offering, creating a slow-moving ballad filled with longing and quiet wonder. Produced by William Faith, the track glows with soft percussion and weightless melodies, evoking the feeling of staring into a vast night sky while holding onto a fading memory.
Frontwoman Ria Aursjoen says: “The song has the feel of a sea voyage. The images for me were always ones of the vastness of the sky and the sea, and the feeling of the magnificent beauty of the world. The call and answer vocals are like two people calling back and forth across a valley. It’s meant to encompass that feeling of transcendence when you take a meta view of life and of the natural world, and just fall into the beautiful patterns of it all.”
Drummer Randy Gzebb also comments: “I remember playing an all-ages show in Northern California, looked up mid-song and saw these two young goth girls at the front of the stage with tears streaming down their faces. That moment told me everything I needed to know about ‘By the Stars’. You know a song matters when it reaches people like that.”
ZR