Sufjan Stevens has shared the second single from his upcoming five-volume Convocations LP, “Lamentation II.” This latest single follows the release of “Meditation V,” which had been shared last week. Convocations will be made available in full on May 6, with each volume of the album being shared weekly.

The album had been inspired by the death of Stevens’ father, who had passed just two days after the release of his album The Ascension last September. The creation of the album worked as a form of therapy for Stevens as he pieced together the passing of his father, each volume reflecting a stage of grief.

“Lamentation II” features deep synths reminiscent of an organ played during a funeral, small sparkles of more upbeat sounds found beneath. The track carries a dark feel, surges of light doing their best to poke through. Stevens experiments with the sound, both sides contrasting one another.

Melissa Fuentes designed the visuals for “Lamentation II,” as well as the broader spectrum that is Convocations. This piece incorporates colorful lines that trace over one another, changing into various pastel hues. They weave around one another, static covering them in such a way that they resemble markers flowing across the page.

The entirety of Convocations will incorporate Mediations, Lamentations, Revelations, Celebrations and Incantations. Stevens has already released the first ten tracks, which had appeared on Meditations. Meanwhile, Lamentations will be made available in full on Thursday, April 15.

Prior to the release of The Ascension, STevens had shared the 10-minute, non-album single titled “My Rajneesh.” He also collaborated with CARM for the song “Trouble” back in January.

Photo credit: Sharon Alagna