Seattle’s Night Hikes have followed up ‘Avila‘ with brand new single ‘Vera’ – the second song to be taken from their forthcoming album, ‘Chalice’. This track revolves around a dainty yet divine being named Vera who the band created to reflect the commodificiation of the ‘wild-woman’ archetype.

It’s all about how no one can really tell who Vera is as a person – especially herself – and how she’s ended up living her life through happy corporate slogans: ‘Living every fantasy in your endless summer mind’. It opens with a shoegazey feel complete with added synths and drums that retain the Agnes Obel/Mazzy Star sound that serves the band so well.

It takes on a more experimental tone in its closing moments – reflecting the fractured mindset of Vera shortly after reality comes crashing in:  ‘Baby you’re on holiday. Did you capture every smile? Maybe you can stay this way. But it’s going out of style’.