St. Lucia Shares New Album ‘Fata Morgana: Dawn’ + “In The Light” Music Video

St. Lucia, the acclaimed musical project led by husband-and-wife duo, Jean-Philip Grobler and Patti Beranek, have released their fifth studio album, Fata Morgana: Dawn via Nettwerk. The album comes on the heels of St. Lucia’s performance on NBC’s The Kelly Clarkson Show last month. Alongside the album, the band has shared a music video for their grandiose new single, “In The Light.”

Fata Morgana: Dawn is a sprawling psychedelic pop journey that explores themes of isolation, escapism, and personal growth, weaving together elements of dance music, cinematic scores, and bold experimentation. Mixed by Chris Zane (Jack Antonoff, Passion Pit, The Walkmen), the album expands St. Lucia’s sonic landscape, drawing inspiration from 1960s and 1970s psychedelic pop, the gritty pre-’80s NYC dance scene, and the grandeur of classic film scores.

St. Lucia reveals, “Our new album ‘Fata Morgana: Dawn’ is maybe the most epic thing we’ve ever made, and if you know us you know that it’s not the first time that ‘epic’ has been used to describe our music. We trade in ‘epicness,’ generally speaking. I didn’t set out to make an epic album though. I’ve always had a bit of a reactionary vein in me, and so I feel like if people describe us as one thing my nature is to try and set out to not be that thing. And so, in many ways this started as me trying to make some cool lo-fi 70’s sounding songs. I’m influenced by a lot of music from the past, and we’re most often associated with the 80’s, and so I think just subconsciously this other side of my musical heritage or influence was trying to come out. But as the album developed gradually from late 2019, through the pandemic and then to now, it became clearer and clearer that we need to reach for something bigger than what we’ve ever reached for. The core of the record is the band playing in a room together, mostly, but something I love about those old records is how they have this intimate core of the band playing together, but it’s framed often by strings or an orchestra. But getting strings on your record is insane, right? Well, that’s what I thought for a long time, but it was always in the back of my mind. Anyway, to cut a long story short, a few things happened that enabled us to have strings on our new record, and that helped lift it up into the stratosphere and have it feel complete and like something new for us. I do think this record is something very different and new for us, and we hope you will come along for the ride.”

“In The Light,” the album’s focus single, delves into the complex dynamics of charismatic figures and the allure of perceived “superior knowledge.” Frontman Jean-Philip Grobler explains, “The imagery this song evokes in my mind… is of the leader of some sort of cult… a guru of sorts… We see versions of this all over us in the modern world… When someone comes along and provides some clarity in the midst of the modern haze, we can be drawn into their spell… So, you know, don’t sell yourself out to the gurus! Do your research! Listen to your heart!”

Fata Morgana: Dawn features previous singles “Rolling Man,” “Campari Lips and Soda,” “Pie In The Sky,” “Fear Of Falling,” and “Falling Asleep.” “Rolling Man” is a heart-pounding, arena-ready jam. While “Campari Lips and Soda” is an airy psychedelic endeavor featuring pop duo Aly & AJ. “Pie In The Sky,” a soaring orchestral pop anthem, embodies growth and transformation. Influenced by the work of Alejandro Jodorowski, Salvador Dali, Pina Bausch, and films like The Colour of Pomegranates and The Fall, the Xander Ferreira-directed music video is a visually stunning exploration of surreal landscapes and dreamlike imagery.

Moreover “Fear Of Falling,” inspired by the birth of Grobler’s son, reflects on life’s fleeting nature. “Falling Asleep,” praised by Consequence as “a throwback, high-tempo disco anthem,” is a dreamy, spiritual quest inspired by David Bowie, Electric Light Orchestra, and Ennio Morricone. St. Lucia performed “Falling Asleep” for The Kelly Clarkson Show in February.

St. Lucia have always been focused on taking their listeners on a journey packed with lush melodies, driving rhythms, and emotional depth, but Fata Morgana: Dawn is unquestionably the headiest trip they’ve cooked up yet.

St. Lucia will be performing at this year’s Bourbon & Beyond festival on September 14 alongside the likes of Phish, Jack White, Noah Kahan, Khruangbin, and more. Stay tuned for more music and news from St. Lucia this year.

LISTEN TO FATA MORGANA: DAWN LP:
https://stlucia.ffm.to/fatamorgana

WATCH “IN THE LIGHT” MUSIC VIDEO:

Tour Dates:
9/14 – Louisville, KY @ Bourbon & Beyond Festival

Fata Morgana: Dawn LP Tracklist:
1. Something’s In The Way
2. What
3. Pie In The Sky
4. Falling Asleep
5. Klang
6. In Your Arms
7. Campari Lips & Soda (with Aly & AJ)
8. Rolling Man
9. In The Light
10. Going To Space
11. Fear Of Falling