Dead Can Dance – “Our Day Will Come”

In the '80s and '90s, Australian duo Dead Can Dance released a bunch of albums of rapturous, evocative music that drew on traditions from across the world. They were a key part of the 4AD roster, and their music never fit comfortably into any goth, post-punk, art-rock, or dream-pop categories. Dead Can Dance broke up in 1998, as Lisa Gerrard went on to do a whole lot extremely-cool film-score work. The duo returned for 2012's Anastasis and 2018's Dionysus, and now they've released their first new song in years.

Dead Can Dance's new single is "Our Day Will Come," a hypnotic ode to solidarity between Irish and Palestinian people. It's got the tingly sweep of their old music, combined with a certain world-weary determination. Lisa Gerrard doesn't seem to be part of the record, and it's the first thing to come out under the Dead Can Dance name since "Mushin," Brendan Perry's one-off collaboration with filmmaker Graham Wood. Half of the proceeds from "Our Day Will Come" go to benefit MAP (Medical Aid For Palestinians). Here's what the Bandcamp description says about the song:

"Our Day Will Come" is dedicated to the shared national aspirations of the Irish and Palestinian peoples. The song title is a direct reference and translation of the traditional Irish Republican slogan Tiocfaidh ár lá.  A slogan that embodies the aspirations of the Irish people in their shared vision of a united Ireland free from foreign colonial rule. In light of the appalling ongoing genocide in Palestine the solidarity between our two peoples has never been stronger.

Listen below.

Along with the new single, Dead Can Dance announce that they're no longer releasing their music on streaming services and that new music will be available exclusively through their own Holy Tongue label, via Bandcamp: "We have decided to no longer support streaming platforms that continue to exploit artists and promote AI-generated music." They also say that "Our Day Will Come" is the first in a series of monthly singles.