Austra shares video for ‘I Am Not Waiting’Fresh from the release of her fourth album HiRUDiN in May, Austra aka Katie Austra Stelmanis, shares the video for ‘I Am Not Waiting’. While Austra’s third album, 2017’s Future Politics, was concerned with the external power structures that shape society, HiRUDiN points inward, tracing a deeply personal journey towards regeneration, dealing with the fallout of toxic relationships, queer shame, and insecurity along the way. Named after the peptide released by leeches that is the most potent anticoagulant in the world, HiRUDiN is about the importance of healing the self, letting go of harmful influences, and finding the power to rebuild.

On ‘I Am Not Waiting’, over ESG-style basslines, Stelmanis’ voice cuts through like a beacon singing the refrain “I’m over you” repeatedly. Directed by Trevor Blumas, he explains the concept for the new video: "The video for ‘I Am Not Waiting’ takes a cue from Katie's lyrics about escaping from a toxic situation and reaching a point where enough is enough. The video specifically is about breaking free from the layers of superficiality that is often applied to or imprinted upon us in today's hyper-image culture, in the age of face apps and AR. These devices often skew us from seeing each other for who we actually are. I find there is an exceptional amount of bravery and boldness in stepping outside of certain social expectations of how we present ourselves by being seen as vulnerable and exposed".

Stelmanis add: "Trevor and I have been collaborating for a while now on a few different projects so he's got a really good understanding of the themes across HiRUDiN and ‘I Am Not Waiting’ in particular. Given the limitations we were faced with because of corona I let him have free reign to do what he wanted here. I'm thrilled with the result, it's so nice collaborating with someone you can fully trust to represent your work".

The Waterboys follow the recent release of their current upbeat pop single ‘The Soul Singer’ with the gorgeous counterpoint of ‘Low Down In The Broom’. It is accompanied by a mysterious and atmospheric video that reflects its origins as a traditional Scottish folk song, which in the mercurial hands of Mike Scott has been souped up into something more dramatically visceral.

“It connects with the early Waterboys sound, that emotionally-driven power” he explains, “and though it’s an ancient folk song, there’s no folk in the delivery. It’s feral acoustic rock and roll.”

Both songs, along with the dramatic epic ‘My Wanderings In The Weary Land’, feature on the forthcoming new studio album Good Luck, Seeker – the remarkable 14th studio album– which is released on August 21 via Cooking Vinyl.

Good Luck, Seeker draws together many glistening strands of The Waterboys’ weird, wondrous journey. Its 14 songs are populated by unrepentant freaks, soul legends, outlaw film stars and 20th Century mystics, drawing inspiration from The Rolling Stones, Kate Bush, Sly Stone and Kendrick Lamar as well as Mike Scott’s very own musical past.

Waterboys fans will delight in unravelling threads from the big music of A Pagan Place, the raggle taggle thrum of Fisherman’s Blues, the epic visions of Dream Harder and dark dramas of A Rock In A Weary Land, while new listeners will discover a magical world of joy and wonder from a musical wizard that is without doubt a very fine addition to one of the great canons of contemporary music.

Part song diary, part epic spoken word adventure, Good Luck, Seeker is both the final record in a recent triptych of albums and a new departure for the restless sonic magician and his merry band of fellow travellers. It’s an album that is here to lift our spirits, rock our worlds, and perhaps offer listeners some spiritual succour on their own wanderings through the weary land.