Angelo, named after Brijean Murphy’s 1981 Toyota Celica, features nine songs Brijean crafted and carried with them through a period of profound change, loss, and relocation. 

Brijean—the duo composed of percussionist/singer Brijean Murphy and multi-instrumentalist/producer Doug Stuart—shares the hypnotic new single, “Ooo La La,” from their forthcoming EP, Angelo, out August 5th on Ghostly International. Following “Shy Guy,” “Ooo La La” opts for a funkier groove, with Murphy foregoing her verses in favor of warbled hums and Stuart’s extended breakdowns. 

The months surrounding the acclaimed release of Feelings, their full-length Ghostly International debut in 2021 which celebrated tender self-reflection and new possibilities, rang bittersweet with the sudden passing of Murphy’s father and both of Stuart’s parents. In a haze of heartache, the duo left the Bay Area to be near family, resettling in four cities in under two years. Their to-go rig became their traveling studio, and these tracks, along with Angelo, became their few constants. Whereas Feelings formed over collaborative jams with friends, Angelo’s sessions presented Murphy and Stuart a chance to record at their most intimate, “to get us out of our grief and into our bodies,” says Murphy.

On Angelo, Brijean explores new moods and styles, reaching for effervescent dance tempos and technicolor backdrops, vibrant hues in contrast to their more somber human experiences. [Featured image photo credit – Maya Fuhr]