Eclectic Philadelphia indie pop project Telyscopes is teasing the release of their upcoming album With a Y in a stunning stop-motion video for its first single, the creeping, crawling “Cicada Buzz.” Frontman Jack Hubbell says while it may seem like a strange choice for a single, it’s a track that gives a neat summary of the full project.

“It’s about social withdrawal and isolation. Written before COVID, ironically,” he says. “I had a bit of a breakdown and shaved my head bald, moved my studio into an attic space, and made most of this record there in two and a half weeks in June.”

With its twisted licks, metallic percussion, and skin-crawling insectoid imagery, it’s a brilliant slice of a complex record that finds Hubbell burrowing through new textures and new ways of engaging with mortality. 

The video is no less off-beat and colorful, featuring animated paintings assembled in a trippy, drippy dance by Ava Haitz. Hubbell says he first encountered her work in an exhibit by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts–to see more, follow her on Instagram and Vimeo.

“Cicada Buzz” is available to stream and download now, and you can check out the video on the band’s YouTube page. With a Y is slated for Halloween 2020 release, and you can preorder the record via Bandcamp.

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