The Steoples have shared a new single, 'In The Dance', the latest track from their upcoming album Wide Through The Eyes Of No One, out 6 August on Stones Throw. The video for 'In The Dance' was directed by Panther Modern and features a guest appearance from musician and comedian Reggie Watts.
In The Steoples' words, the single is "a celebration of the luminaries that have danced across human history". Director Panther Modern adds: "The video is an exploration in isolation and additionally, the power and importance of physical communication. It follows two partners in isolation, longing for the chance to see each other but powerless to the technology that gates access to that communion. Only for a predetermined amount of time are the partners allowed to interact with each other in virtual environments. A headset slowly drops into their isolated rooms allowing access to the virtual worlds. A place where they can experience the idea of physical interaction and self-expression through a government-controlled programme called, 'In The Dance'."
Friends for over fifteen years, Yeofi and GB combine their varying musical worlds as The Steoples. Originally from rural England, Yeofi was surrounded by his father's diverse collection of classical to soul music from a young age. With David Bowie as his first "real musical love", he quickly developed a passion for punk rock and played with several UK-based bands before moving to Los Angeles. As A Race of Angels, Yeofi has collaborated with artists including Theo Parrish and DJ Spinna.
Gifted & Blessed and Frankie Reyes are just some of the aliases GB has used to release his music. Over the last four years, he has been a Stones Throw regular, releasing two albums as Frankie Reyes on the label: Boleros Valses y Mas in 2016 and Originalitos in 2020. The Steoples' debut album Six Rocks came out on Stones Throw in 2017 after Peanut Butter Wolf expressed interest in hearing more of GB's work.
The Steoples' second album, Wide Through The Eyes Of No One, draws on a range of sounds: Latin rhythms, '80s soul, sombre folk, and R&B, with Yeofi's confessional lyrics contemplating themes of isolation and the "knee jerk resilience of the human spirit".
While writing Wide Through the Eyes Of No One, The Steoples varied their creative process, incorporating more live instrumentation with a new cast of players. "There are no rules, and that's what keeps the music interesting and unpredictable for us," says Yeofi. Though rich and more evolved in its sound, the album stays true to The Steoples' foundation: "an exploration of music and philosophy by two friends of different backgrounds."
