Genre-blurring songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tōth has released “Touching,” a playful and poetic new duet with GRAMMY-winning artist Kimbra. The single marks Tōth’s first new music since Rubblebucket announced their hiatus, and is the first offering from his forthcoming solo album – –  full details coming soon.

Co-produced by Caroline Rose, who also contributes background vocals, “Touching” is a gratitude-song about physical connection and emotional vulnerability. The track asks whether joy is merely a distraction from the void — or a defiant way to confront it. Musically, it’s a nod to Brian Wilson’s fearless sense of arrangement, with sudden shifts in feel, soaring falsettos, and a tenderness only earned through pain and reflection.

The song arrives with a colorful, otherworldly video directed by music photographer Michael Leviton, who places Tōth and Kimbra in a stylized dream world of surreal, gloved choreography. “We had these beautiful people touching each other,” Leviton says. “But touch doesn’t always have to be erotic. It can be playful, like an artistic collaboration, like a friendship that feels romantic.” For most of the video, Tōth and Kimbra wear gloves — an intentional metaphor for emotional distance and the illusion of closeness. “You get used to the gloves,” Leviton adds, “but they’re still there. It’s a warning: don’t forget what real touch feels like.”

Tōth is the solo project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alex Toth. His performances blend deeply personal songwriting with horn solos, hypnotic grooves, and vivid storytelling. His 2021 album You And Me And Everything—mixed by GRAMMY-winner Noah Georgeson—earned praise for its emotional honesty and genre-bending ambition, drawing comparisons to Arthur Russell, Devendra Banhart, and The Beach Boys. The single marks Tōth’s first new music since Rubblebucket (of which Tōth is a founding member) announced their hiatus.

Tōth will hit the road this fall for a series of West Coast dates alongside indie pop duo Mates of State:

Fri Oct 3 | Seattle, WA | Madame Lou’s

Sat Oct 4 | Portland, OR | Holocene

Mon Oct 6 | San Francisco, CA | August Hall

Thu Oct 9 | San Diego, CA | House of Blues

Fri Oct 10 | Los Angeles, CA | Moroccan Lounge

Photo Courtesy: Michael Leviton