Photo by Swanson Studio

With a sound rich in swirling up the senses, Brijean — the Oakland-based psychedelic disco-pop duo of vocalist and percussionist Brijean Murphy and multi-instrumentalist and producer Doug Stuart — were a godsend in pandemic times by offering listeners a sonic oasis and vibey west coast escape respectively with 2021’s breakthrough full-length, Feelings, and 2022’s extended play follow-up, Angelo. Sometimes the place we need to get away from most is our own heads, however, and that delirium reaches fever pitch on “Workin’ On It”, an early highlight off their fourth studio effort, Macro. “I’m so tired of this apathy / I just want to be a better me / Craving death and complexity / From the morning to dawn,” Murphy sing-speaks, steeped in late shift hour exhaustion. No need to worry about this one being a total downer, though. Her words in the moment may ring morbid, but the rubbery bassline bubbling beneath her breath alongside a technicolor techno beat flourishes cosmic energy around her. Surely but slowly, she’s bouncing back just like the vibe.

Visualizer by: FISK Projects

Brijean’s Macro will be released July 12th on Ghostly International.