Social Caterpillar Premiere Their Album ‘When You Woke Up To Dances of Light’

The good, the bad. The positive, the negative. The light, the dark. It’s all a balancing act in this life we live. It’s a lot to reflect on, and these are issues that form the thematic core of Social Caterpillar’s brand new album When You Woke Up To Dances of Light, due out on April 8th, but here to listen to in its entirety today.

The new album’s nine songs reflect on how the light and the dark of life shape our perspectives and how each changes our point of view on the other, conditioning us to appreciate the good moments because we know how difficult the bad ones can be. It’s all delivered within a cross-section of musical styles that build on what the band started on their 2019 debut full-length Start A Fire That Sings You A Song. They operate within an ethos of experimentation with deeply personal lyrics and haunting soundscapes to create a truly original sonic experience.

Reflecting on the theme of the record, singer and guitarist Kyle Smith tells us:

“We are excited to share this album with people outside our band. This album touches on a variety of musical influences that we pull from as individual musicians and the lyrics are thematically tied together with the imagery of the fabric of death, dealing with mental illness, protest and accepting how darkness forms the ability to truly appreciate the days when we are later able to wake up to dances of light. Hopefully this album can help others who also struggle to find the light.”

The Milwaukee quartet first got together in 2016, describing themselves as a psychedelic chamber ensemble “for the disobedient and melancholic youth.” In writing When You Woke Up To Dances of Light, the band members made sure to try new things while also making sure not to alienate their core audience that was so responsive to Start A Fire That Sings You A Song. The arrangements are more complex this time, including violin and horn sections on many tracks. The lyricism is more poetic, and will surely come across as more consequential and purposeful to real fans of the band.

The foundation of their sound is still there, defined by acoustic and distorted guitars and a pounding rhythm section. Musical experimentation is never a bad thing, especially when it’s done with calm and careful composure like on When You Woke Up To Dances of Light, intended to please a band’s core audience, rather than alienate it.

For those in the area, be sure to catch the band’s record release show on April 29th at Cactus Club in Milwaukee, WI.

When You Woke Up To Dances of Light Track Listing:

1. A Thematic Introduction
2. Anti-Prayer
3. Eraser
4. Time Warp No. 1
5. (Oblivion Map)
6. Today Human Emotions Probably Initiate Tears
7. (Birds and Elephants)
8. Hymns of Awakening
9. Senseless Like A Sun

Artwork for the album ‘When You Woke Up To Dances of Light’ by Social Caterpillar