A month ago, Chicago musician Mia Joy released “Haha,” a dreamy and darkly funny meditation on mortality and suicidal ideation. It was her first single for Fire Talk Records, and the second is out today along with a predictable announcement: She’s releasing her debut album Spirit Tamer for the label in May. Although you can clearly hear stated influences like Sade and Grouper in Joy’s music, today’s new “See Us” reminds me of melancholic singer-songwriters like Sharon Van Etten and Cat Power as well.

In a statement, Joy reveals “See Us” was inspired by a blossoming romance cut short by the pandemic: “I had fallen in love again and felt like I could see a promising future with plenty of opportunities. Filled with optimism of love and expansion that we could better our lives. Ironically, the pandemic hit two months later, that relationship ended and now this is a very beautiful bittersweet reminder that this hope can still exist for us someday.”

Watch director Matt Gehl’s “See Us” video below, where you can also hear “Haha.”

TRACKLIST:
01 “Spirit Tamer”
02 “Ye Old Man”
03 “Heaven Forbid”
04 “Freak”
05 “Across Water”
06 “See Us”
07 “Saturn”
08 “Haha”
09 “Sword (I Carry)”
10 “Phone Home”
11 “Candle Prayer”
12 “Last Night Together (Arthur)”

Spirit Tamer is out 5/7 on Fire Talk.