Field Division Deliver A Cosmic Meditation on Loss in “Star Where Are You”

Denton, TX psych-folk outfit Field Division make “music to transcend to,” and their new single, “Star Where Are You,” is no exception.

“‘Star Where Are You’ is about losing someone you looked up to,” Field Division’s Nick Frampton tells American Songwriter of the track, which premieres below. “It’s about losing a friend or loved one—to death or distance—feeling far enough away from your shared existence to perceive them in a different light. It’s also about loneliness and getting through it on a sliver of wonder.”

That sliver of wonder is the song’s guiding light. At six minutes long, “Star Where Are You” risks losing its way, but it never does.

“I wrote the song in 2014 while residing in Nashville and didn’t play it much after that, until 2017 when Evelyn [Taylor] and I returned to Redwood Studios in Denton, TX, to record some songs,” says Frampton. “There were a few things we knew we wanted out of the arrangement, like for the message to remain simple, for it to feel spacious, and for it to feel playful and groovy. We were channeling artists like Bowie, Pink Floyd, the Beatles. I was also listening to a lot of Air at the time.” 

Frampton and Taylor finished the track with McKenzie Smith of Midlake on drums, Scott Lee of The Texas Gentlemen on bass, and Jesse Chandler of Mercury Rev and Midlake on organ. 

“I remember us just playing the chorus progression until something cool was happening,” recalls Frampton. “Then letting the band go made for some sweet interplay including an extended outro space jam. After the initial Texas session, we produced the rest of the song in Iowa.”

“Star Where Are You” is Field Division’s third release of 2020 following “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” (with The Guest and the Host) and “Black Velvet Skies.” All three tracks come after the band’s 2018 debut album Dark Matter Dreams (via Bella Union) and their 2014 debut EP Reverie State.

Before COVID-19 wiped out live music for the foreseeable future, Field Division had planned to be on the road right now.

“We had plans to tour more this year, but since that’s off the table, we’ve been in our home studio working on music and art,” says Taylor.

While the self-described “Laurel Canyon tinged psychedelic folkrock and transcendent dream pop” project hasn’t announced another album or EP, Frampton and Taylor promise to share more music soon. 

“We’re releasing some more music and videos this fall,” they confirm.

“Star Where Are You” is out below.