Hip hop artist Lazerbeak is back with a new single “River Wide” which is set to be featured on his upcoming studio album Penelope, out via Doom Tree this October. “River Wide” is a soothing track with upbeat drums that juggle between traditional and world influences, hypnotic harps and punchy bass that meld well together into one hypnotic track.

Lazerbeak explained that this track was the final one written for the project, which is titled and inspired by his daughter. This upcoming record is set to feature rich soundscapes filled with ambient sounds, soft melodies and natural percussion.

“This record was made for my 8-year-old daughter and I wanted the music to reflect all the sunny, hopeful, fearless, and warm attributes that I see in her every day,” Lazerbeak explained in a statement. ” My hope was to make a gigantic happy instrumental anthem for the days when things just don’t seem to be going right. The fact that the end result sort of sounds like a B-side from The Lion King soundtrack is definitely an unexpected bonus, haha.”

Lazerbeak has had a busy year, collaborating with ICETEP to form alternative dance outfit Night Stone. He also formed a group called Dope Walker alongside William Elliott Whitmore and Jeff Allen, who was a member of The Plastic Constellations alongside Lazerbeak. He had previously released Parades alongside Longshot in 2018 and a greatest hits album with Shredders in 2019. Night Stone have collaborated with Sophia Eris, Channy Leaneagh of Poliça and MMYYKK.

Photo credit Marv Watson