While it’s not imperative to enjoy the acid-fried crackle and shimmer of “Ti + Do,” you’ve got to admit the song comes with an interesting backstory. The new single from CHEW, the first from the trio’s upcoming LP Darque Tan, takes its title from the nicknames for the leaders of the ’90s UFO cult, Heaven’s Gate. The group became fascinated with the strange allure of cults while binging on podcasts on the road. Heaven’s Gate, with its mix of earthly pleasures and mass-suicide tragedy, became something of an obsession, and the band eventually found themselves referencing the group in their music and corresponding with existing members (rebranded now as the Telah Foundation).

“They are actually still operating and answering emails,” says Brett Regan (guitar, sampler, synthesizer). “I asked them for permission to use the names ‘Ti’ and ‘Do’ and they asked for a copy of the finished track. I sent it to them with the lyrics and they agreed, with a snarky reply.”

Released five years to the day since sharing their debut singles (happy 4/20 y’all!), “Ti + Do” finds CHEW offering up a glitched-out slice of noisy psych-pop. It features Katherine Kelly Larson of Florida quartet PLEASURES on vocals, marking the first time the instrumental trio has opted for singing on one of their tracks. The pairing works exceeding well, with the band warping their twisted rhythms and clattering grooves around Larson’s sweeping melodies. The end result is one of CHEW’s most direct and pop-oriented cuts, even as it ripples with the kind of abstract colors and shapes we’ve grown to expect from the experimental three-piece.

Directed by artist and longtime band collaborator Richie Brown, the video’s staticky, lo-fi aesthetic is perfectly suited for the track’s source material. Larson joins the group as they don matching jumpsuits, feast on ice cream, and discover the center of the known universe. It’s as weird and quirky as one might expect, highlighting the eccentricities and polar extremes of living in a cult.

“Before Heaven’s Gate tried to catch a ride on the Hale-Bopp comet, they enjoyed as many ‘earthly pleasures’ as possible,” Regan explains. “Our director, Richie Brown, wanted to juxtaposition all of the fun times with the darkness of their final hours.”

Watch/listen above.

Darque Tan is out June 19 via Stolen Body Records. Pre-orders are available here.

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