Seraphina Lotkhamnga on July 3rd, 2012

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Known for their balance of intimacy and scorching shoegaze-inspired folk, Wye Oak returns with a new single courtesy of Adult Swim’s Singles Program. The only thing is, “Spiral” doesn’t sound much like anything from the Baltimore duo’s past repertoire. Fans of last year’s “Civilian” (including us) may be shocked at the song’s programmed beats, heavy echos and marimba loops, and even more surprised at how much darker Jenn Wasner can get with her writing. Because the Adult Swim series offers free downloads as a one-off, Wasner took this opportunity to explore new sonic and rhythmic ideas, and the track keeps the intensity of Wye Oak songs. However, it goes down like an acid trip rather than a smooth glass of whiskey. “Overall, this song is purposely catchy, but also (to me, at least) dark and menacing,” Wasner told NPR. “It’s about going around in circles, feeling trapped by the momentum of bad decisions, being funneled into a negative feedback loop until you, like the song, eventually fall apart.”

||| Download: “Spiral” via Adult Swim

||| Live: Wye Oak plays July 28 at the Wiltern with Dirty Projectors.