‘The Sleeper’ is taken from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs’ forthcoming album ‘When the Lights Go’.
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs releases ‘The Sleeper’, a 4 minute ballad that is a window into the difficult emotions of love and relationships. The track marks the third release from the forthcoming album ‘When the Lights Go’ due out in July on his own label imprint Nice Age.
‘The Sleeper’ features heartrending piano and lyrics that are delivered, naked and raw, with conviction. The instrumental breakdown is reminiscent of ‘90s gospel and R&b; soulful yet hazy, and incredibly apologetic. Recorded when Orlando was younger, ‘The Sleeper’ was originally viewed as what he recalls as a ‘love’ song. After many years of growth, looking back he realizes the track is something entirely different, a cry for help for someone feeling undeserving of love.
The new track follows the release of the somber yet tantalizing ‘Blood In The Snow’, and ‘Crosswalk’, a satisfying collision of new wave nostalgia and pop perfection. With each release from the new album, there’s a growing sense of honesty and vulnerability from Orlando that pulls in listeners into a deeply personal journey. When the Lights Go is indicative of a level of maturity that hasn’t been heard from Orlando Higginbottom in the past, bringing in a pop aesthetic that’s full of depth, feeling, storytelling and woe – presented in a compelling manner, as only he can.
The body of work is substantial, containing 17 tracks, recounting ups and downs of life between the albums, “I feel grateful to know that there are people who are interested in more music from me. So I want to give them something significant in length”, he says. This very intimate odyssey encompasses themes relating to past romantic relationships, as well as broader topics such as mental health, the patriarchal system and climate change.
Since the release of ‘Trouble’ 10 years ago, Orlando toured the globe, settled in LA for seven years, worked behind-the-scenes producing for a range of top-tier acts, and earned himself a Grammy nomination in 2020 for his collaboration with Bonobo – ‘Heartbreak’. Most recently Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs wrapped the ‘I Have A Dream’ Club Tour, delighting fans with his dynamic DJ Sets at iconic venues such as Chicago’s Spybar, Red Rocks Amphitheater, the Do Lab Stage at Coachella, and more.
For Orlando, ‘When the Lights Go’ is where the troubles of the past come to an end. Life has offered a myriad of twists and turns, his response to the pain is a shift into positive energy, the 17 track release being the catalyst.
‘When the Lights Go’ will be available on limited edition double 12” gatefold blue vinyl with printed insert, details are available HERE.
