Ned Collette has been kicking around some of the most potent corners of the underground for decades now. The Australian-born, Berlin-based singer-songwriter got his start in the instrumental post-rock band City City City but quickly moved on to wide-reaching singer-songwriter albums under his own name, which for a few years were credited to Ned Collette & Wirewalker. In recent years he's been closely tied to Kentucky alt-Americana types like Ryan Davis (who put out 2024's seriously great Our Other History on his Sophomore Lounge label) and Will Oldham (who wrote the liner notes for Our Other History).
Now it's time for LP8. Mixed Light is out next month, a co-release between It Records and Feeding Tube. Collette already shared lead single "Curious Thing" a few weeks back, and today he's got a video for "Commandeered Parade." These tracks situate him on the Dylan and Reed family tree. He sings like if Bill Fay was secretly Kurt Vile, with the loose, nasal presence and careful craftsmanship of guys like Wand's Cory Hanson, Nap Eyes' Nigel Chapman, and Destroyer's Dan Bejar.
Like those guys, Collette's music goes all over the place, blurring folk, jazz, and avant-garde rock. Mixed Light shifts shape several times over, venturing from the soft, dreamy propulsion of these singles to the sheer chaos of "Paper Night" and a return to Collette's instrumental roots on closing track "Miami Shadows," which blurs together jazz guitar with slo-mo synth chords to unsettling effect. It's the work of a musician who could leave people awestruck at open mic night but isn't content to operate within the standard templates.
And if today's new "Commandeered Parade" is not especially audacious compared to some of Collette's leaps, its craftsmanship and heart are undeniable. I love the way this song blends Clientele-style melancholia with different kinds of louche sonic luxury. Hear it below along with "Curious Thing."
Mixed Light is out 8/28 on It Records/Feeding Tube. Pre-order it here.
