Canadian electronic songwriter, musician and producer Austra (aka Katie Stelmanis) released a new single, “Mountain Baby,” featuring Canadian synthpop artist Cecile Believe and a Toronto children’s choir. The single is the third release from and in advance of her upcoming fourth studio album, HiRUDiN, due out May 1.

The video features nine individual simulcast boxes, each transmitting its own video in relation to the song. It’s a comprehensive exploration and expression of all of the stages and elements of a breakup. “Surrounded by a feeling of unknown and grounded only by a hidden sense to move forward (the choir), we’re also reminded through flashbacks of both the uncertainty and resistance we experienced in the relationship (Katie), as well as the pure, unbridled joy (Cecile),” Austra explains.

Cecile is a Montreal native and the creative force behind SOPHIE’s Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides. The choir is from Wilkinson Public School in Toronto, where Stelmanis’ mother is a teacher.

The single comes on the heels of Austra’s 2020 May tour dates being postponed in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Those dates will be made up with new ones spanning September to December of 2020.

Austra’s initial announcement of the forthcoming album release came March 5, when she dropped the new single “Anywayz.” She also released the new single “Risk It” along with an announcement of those now-postponed tour dates in January.

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna