Black Mare, also known as the solo project of Ides of Gemini vocalist Sera Timms, followers might remember the project’s 2013 album, Field of the Host. The album, a combination of doom-esque songwriting, dark singer-songwriter and shoegaze, is still a moving record. While collecting rarities and out-of-print singles for new compilation Outsiders, Timms also decided to revisit “Blind One,” from Field of the Host, and give it a new spin.
Titled “Blind One AD,” this version of the song strips back the thick layers and adds in percussion that feels quite natural, like the song’s beating heart. To be certain, the song isn’t just for completionists or superfans—”Blind One AD” takes the ideas from the original track and puts them in a new context.
“My original intention was to release an acoustic version of ‘Blind One,’ which is the skeleton of this version,” Timms tells Decibel. “But after recording it, it felt very dull and dragging. So I started with adding some nuanced electric guitar and then the percussion came, and the process took over. The original lyrics are inspired by the Norse goddess Freyja, who was the original muse for Black Mare. I’d lost connection with that ‘channel’ and needed to reconnect, hence the ‘A.D.’ I had this idea of bringing the ancient Freyja into a Blue Velvet/Lynch-inspired musical setting. Freyja and her battle drums in a desert cabaret.”
Hear it below. Outsiders is out on May 28 via Dark Operative.
