‘Golden’ by Slow Burn Drifters – A Glimpse into Their Upcoming Debut Album
Exclusive premiere of ‘Golden’ by Slow Burn Drifters – a glimpse into their upcoming debut album, out March 7, 2025.
Slow Burn Drifters unveil Golden, the spellbinding title track from their forthcoming debut album. Frontman Ray Vale calls the band’s name “a reflection of what someone’s about to hear”—and this track delivers on that promise. Vale’s brooding, widescreen vocals and moody guitar work intertwine with Violet Booth’s radiant piano, evoking the eerie beauty of a David Lynch dreamscape. Fans of Nick Drake and Scott Walker will find themselves right at home in this rich, slow-burning world of romance, tragedy, and transformation.
Originally from northern New Jersey but now based in Austria, Vale wrote all ten tracks for ‘Golden’—his 12th album overall but Slow Burn Drifters’ first. “This one’s more personal and melodic than my past work,” he says, noting Violet’s piano takes center stage in ways it hadn’t before.
The name “Slow Burn Drifters” reflects a reverence for patience in art, a nod to the slow, transformative storytelling found in literature and film. “With attention spans shrinking by the hour,” Vale notes, “slow burns are endangered—but they’re also what we cherish: romance, tragedy, and transformation.”
The album’s title draws on a concept of timelessness. “I once heard Joseph Campbell say, ‘Eternity isn’t a long time; it’s what stands outside of time,’” Vale recalls. ‘Golden’ channels that idea, touching on themes of loss, hope, and change—the “golden prism” through which every song is filtered.
Speaking about the premiering track, Vale added: “When I was a kid, I remember reading S.E. Hinton’s novel, The Outsiders. There’s a part in it where the characters Johnny Cade and Ponyboy read Robert Frost’s poem Nothing Gold Can Stay. Later in the story, as Johnny lies dying, he urges Ponyboy to “stay gold.” I’d like to imagine that as he began to fade, he was seeing Frost’s poem from another perspective. Like “staying gold, or remaining golden” was about moving outside of time, to be here and now, and nowhere else. That was in my mind when I was writing the song.”
The album features a powerhouse supporting cast, including drummer Jack Irons, guitarist Alain Johannes, saxophonist Chris Ward, and trumpeter Matt Owens. Vale himself contributes bass and synths. Recorded and produced at his Austrian studio, ‘Golden’ was mixed with Martin Biegger and mastered by Dave Gardner, ensuring every note shimmers with intention and depth.
Headline photo: Darko Todorovic
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