Adequately named and released in a timely fashion as the British summer swings around, Heat Waves is the sweltering new single from Glass Animals.

You never completely know what you are going to get from Glass Animals, and they keep up this suspense by continuing their creative evolution in Heat Waves. The newest single acts as a teaser for their forthcoming third album Dreamland, which is set for release on August 7th via Polydor Records, with the release date having been pushed back with the intention of respecting and supporting the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.

Prepare to delve into a sweltering world of heavy bass lines and flickering electronic drums, all while frontman Dave Bayley sends you into ecstasy with his charismatic vocals. Lyrically, the track tackles the idea of how an individual in a relationship can have their personality blurred and changed subconsciously, as they’re too infatuated with what’s in front of them to notice.

Accompanying the track release is a dreamy, cinematic video directed by Colin Read. It follows Dave as he wanders around an empty, mid-lockdown London, ending with Dave performing in an empty venue. The video acutely captures the creeping feelings of surreality that has edged itself into our recent everyday life as lockdown living becomes the new norm. Speaking more on the video, Dave explains:

The ‘Heat Waves’ video is a love letter to live music and the culture and togetherness surrounding it. It was filmed at the peak of the lockdown in my neighbourhood in East London by the lovely people who live around me, just using their phones. These are people who are usually out at shows, in galleries, going to cinemas etc. These venues are left empty now, and many of them will not survive. The song is about loss and longing, and ultimately realizing you are unable to save something…and this video is about that but for art, being together, and human contact. Huge love and thank you’s to everyone who got involved and helped out. When everyone was leaning out of their windows filming, I felt that same sense of togetherness and spine-tingling energy that happened at live shows. It made the coldness of performing to an empty room with the band stuck on screens feel even more heart-breaking.