We Speak Music
Katie Dauson Reveals New Single ‘That Volcano’
Katie Dauson’s “That Volcano” is a bold swing of sunlit self-assurance. The Canadian singer-songwriter, fresh from the glow of her sixth studio album Pure Katie, returns with a track that pulses with laid-back swagger and emotional resolve. It’s a fusion of genres — surf rock, yacht rock, indie folk — that evokes the breezy confidence of a shoreline drive while hiding something far more combustible underneath.
The track opens with a crisp, confident strum — Dauson’s trusty 2002 Martin OM-18V setting the mood with a tactile warmth that immediately invites intimacy. But the production, handled deftly by longtime collaborator James Nickle, keeps things elevated: layers are minimal yet meaningful, allowing Dauson’s lyrical clarity to cut through like sunlight through haze.
What makes “That Volcano” erupt is its emotional bait-and-switch. The inspiration might’ve been lighthearted — a parrot, a Jimmy Buffett record — but Dauson quickly uncovers a deeper message: resilience in the face of criticism, and the quiet rebellion of self-worth. “I thought I was just writing a cute song about a parrot,” she’s said. The track says otherwise. It’s a portrait of strength disguised in tropical hues.
Sonically, Dauson sits comfortably between Joni Mitchell’s soul-searching and Weyes Blood’s expansive ease. Yet this isn’t imitation — it’s a reclamation of that space by a voice entirely her own. The accompanying animated video by Joren Cull leans into whimsy, but like the track itself, carries an undercurrent of creative bravery.
In “That Volcano,” Katie Dauson doesn’t explode — she simmers with precision. The result is a song that’s as enjoyable on first listen as it is rich with meaning on the tenth. A gentle triumph — and a reminder that the strongest statements don’t always need to shout.
We Speak Music
Mané’s ‘The Goddess in the Room’ Turns Self-Discovery Into Sonic World-Building
There is a remarkable sense of intention running through The Goddess in the Room, the latest project from Swiss artist Mané. Blending alternative electronic pop with ritualistic percussion and spiritual symbolism, the album presents itself as both a personal statement and a carefully constructed narrative. Across its nine tracks, Mané explores identity, healing, queerness, and empowerment with impressive clarity of vision.
The opening track, “The GODDESS in the Room,” functions as both invitation and thesis statement. It introduces listeners to a world where intuition and self-trust become guiding principles, while establishing the atmospheric production style that shapes much of the record. The song’s spacious arrangement creates room for reflection, a quality that becomes one of the album’s defining characteristics.
That introspection deepens on “perles de sang” and “sappho.” The former grapples with inherited pain and bodily experience, while the latter offers a moving celebration of queer identity. Throughout these songs, Mané avoids reducing complex themes to slogans, instead allowing emotional nuance to emerge through carefully crafted songwriting and evocative imagery.
Musically, the album reaches some of its most intriguing moments on “)O(” and “moonstones.” Both tracks highlight Mané’s growing confidence as a sonic architect, blending electronic textures with organic rhythmic elements inspired by shamanic practice. The resulting sound feels immersive and transportive without losing its emotional immediacy.
Meanwhile, “j’serai tjr là” and “chocolate con sangre” provide some of the record’s most vulnerable moments. Here, Mané strips back some of the conceptual grandeur to focus on connection, memory, and emotional endurance. These songs reveal an artist equally capable of intimate storytelling and ambitious world-building.
The penultimate track, “Witches,” injects a surge of collective energy into the album’s narrative. Drawing on themes of resistance and feminine power, it stands as one of the project’s most direct statements while retaining its atmospheric sophistication. It is both politically resonant and emotionally charged.
By the time “ALIGNED” closes the record, the journey feels complete. Not because all questions have been answered, but because the search itself has become meaningful. The Goddess in the Room succeeds through its commitment to authenticity and vision, establishing Mané as an artist unafraid to follow her own path, wherever it may lead.
TOUR DATES
- JUNE 3rd – Les Docks, Lausanne (CH)
- JUNE 5th – The Waiting Room, London (UK)
- JUNE 27th – Basel Pride, Basel (CH)
- JULY 25th – Garden Parties, Lausanne (CH)
- AUGUST 6th – Zurich Music Week, Zurich (CH)
- AUGUST 15th – Château Festival, Bourgogne (FR)
- AUGUST 29th – Festival Rikiki, Neuchâtel (CH)
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, Website | PR: Decent Music PR
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