Premiere: Caspia makes it two from two with new single / video, Trick of the Light

Header image by Renae Saxby.

If the band Caravãna Sun are familiar to you, then chances are you've already come across Byron Bay-based musician Caspia, whether you're sure of it or not. Caspia is the solo project of the band's lead songwriter and bassist Ant Beard, who after forging a career as one of the country's most delightful indie bands with an international spread that's taken them all around the globe, is now focusing on his own work, and relishing in the limitation-free, creative freedom that being in a solo outfit can bring. 

The Caspia project debuted earlier this year with its captivating entrance Alone, which really brought a preview of the musician's brilliance distilled down to its most pure and distinct form (as you'd expect from a solo project), showcasing his skillset as a keen multi-instrumentalist with a list of influences that transcends into genres that he's ever been associated with. The end result was something spectacular; bold and powerful, with an electronic-backed euphoria that felt SAFIA-reminiscent if it wasn't for its uniqueness to Caspia, who really treated the song as an opportunity to introduce himself more-so than ever before.

Now, a few months following the release of Alone, he's back for round two, and is ready to smash it out of the park as he releases his long-awaited follow-up in Trick of the Light. Premiering on Pilerats today ahead of its greater release tomorrow (September 11th), Trick of the Light is a step up from Alone that showcases another sound from Caspia, one a little more streamlined and festival-ready when placed comparatively to his debut, or even his past work as a key member of Caravãna Sun.

This time around, Caspia unites his history in craftful indie-pop with a rich electronic backdrop, finding this kind-of live-electronica sound that's helped carried names such as RÜFÜS DU SOL and Bob Moses over the last decade. Caspia approaches it slightly differently, however, utilising the shimmering synth as only a slight edge as his intimate and emotion-rich vocal moves amongst waves of guitar and percussion that give the song that aforementioned indie twist.

"For me, Trick of the Light helped to reveal the parts of myself that have been conditioned. The more we observe how we become our own trick of the light, the more we can value our authentic self," he says on the single, giving insight into what forms the single's emotionally potent lyricism. "The inspiration behind Trick of the Light was an observation of how others promote the best parts of themselves in order to fit into society, to feel ‘good enough’. Although, as we finished up our writing session in a north Melbourne pub, scrawling lyrics on a napkin, we knew this song was about us. We shifted the lyrics from 3rd to 1st person and the song was finished."

The single also arrives with an official video clip, produced by Caspia alongside keen collaborators Cr38or and Renae Saxby. It's a further unveiling of himself, diving deeper into the single's core themes, as he explains. "Capturing a raw performance to camera was paramount as we pushed past my perceived barriers and ended up positioning me well outside my comfort zone, yet somehow truly myself," he says, before one-upping his collaborators: "This incredibly creative experience truly highlighted the power of collaboration and how artists can come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts."

It's a brilliant single (and video) that really makes it two from two for Caspia, so be sure to take a dive into the track as it premieres on Pilerats below:

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