Brooklyn quartet Earthquake Lights have released their first single since last year’s LP Distress Signals, “Quarter to Midnight.”

The origin of “Quarter to Midnight” dates back to a weeklong writing session yielded a track with dark tones and driving rhythm inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre. This nod to classical music, combined with rich jazz harmony and smooth rock textures, gives the track a sound that is authentically and uniquely Earthquake Lights. They managed to finish recording in early 2020, and the vocal recording and mixing took place while isolated for COVID-19.

Earthquake Lights is a five-piece rock outfit consisting of Myles Rodenhouse on keys and singing lead, Stephen Helms on drums, James DiGirolamo on electric bass, Cam Underhill playing guitar and singing backing vocals, and Evan Douaihy on lead guitar. Their first six-song EP was recorded at Rodenhouse’s brother’s studio in LA, and released independently on February 29, 2012. 

After spending years composing and obsessing over some 10 songs, Earthquake Lights began recording their debut full-length, Distress Signals, at Rodenhouse’s Douglass Recording. The record was an ambitious effort, spanning several months of recording. Earthquake Lights found themselves recruiting Broadway musicians to play brass on the LP, and subsequently headed to world-famous Abbey Road Studios to record strings with a professional orchestra.  Distress Signals was released to critical acclaim in April 2019.