Curtis Harding Has “The Power” Listen + Watch Dazzling New Roller Disco Video
One of the most visionary artists in soul music today, Atlanta’s Curtis Harding is proof of the strange magic that happens when musical prowess meets unbridled imagination. Out this Friday, ‘Departures & Arrivals: Adventures of Captain Curt’ merges the lavish scope of a space opera with the pure feeling of classic soul—ultimately bringing an even greater potency to his wildly eclectic sound.
Today he is sharing “The Power,” a timely disco anthem lit up in lustrous grooves and feverish strings with glittering roller skating and groovy dance moves to match. “In the context of the record, that song could be about trying to find the power that will bring me back home,” says Harding. “But it also plays into what’s happening politically right now, where the people in power keep taking from us without giving anything in return. I wrote that song to give people some kind of release and remind them that no matter what’s going on in the world you still need to live life and have fun doing it.”
Watch “The Power” Video: https://youtu.be/hIBNYn0RTxw
In a testament to the dazzling fluidity of his artistry, Harding arrived at the album’s premise by resolutely following his creative intuition. “Because I’m away from home so much of the time, a lot of these songs came from feeling adrift and wanting to get back to the ones I love,” he says. “I started envisioning this character who takes a journey and gets lost in space, then ends up traveling through different galaxies and dimensions as he’s trying to find his way back home.”
Self-produced at Electric Deluxe Recorders (the Austin studio owned by Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas), ‘Departures & Arrivals’ serves as the follow-up to ‘If Words Were Flowers’—his 2021 release hailed by the likes of UPROXX, who praised Harding for “making some of the best modern soul music out right now.” For Harding, the decision to handle production on his own stemmed from a deep desire to pursue his creative ideals without compromise or restraint.
“I produced my first album, so this felt like a return, although this time I was more confident and capable of sonically going where I wanted to go,” says Harding. “I really love the process of building worlds in the studio, doing what I want in the moment and experimenting with new sounds instead of doing the same thing over and over.” Mostly recorded live with a full band, ‘Departures & Arrivals’ encompasses everything from moody space-funk to lush baroque-pop to otherworldly psych-rock—all while endlessly spotlighting Harding’s rich and captivating vocals and incandescent guitar work.
Closing out on the reverb-drenched reverie of “Running Outta Space,” ‘Departures & Arrivals’ ushers in a bold new era for Harding while staying true to the profound sense of purpose that’s always fueled his songwriting. “Sometimes when you’re feeling lost, hearing from someone else who’s felt the same way can let you know you’re not alone—that’s really the whole sentiment of the album,” says Harding. “I hope these songs help people to recognize that feeling lost is all part of the journey, and that the journey is what’s most important anyway. And once you realize that, you’re on the right path. You’re already on your way home.”
TOUR DATES
Oct 17 - Madrid, Spain @ Wagon
Oct 18 - Barcelona, Spain @ Sala Paral•lel 62
Oct 21 - Bologna, Italy @ TPO
Oct 23 - Rome, Italy @ MONK
Oct 24 - Milan, Italy @ Santeria Toscana 31
Oct 26 - Bern, Switzerland @ Mühle Hunziken
Oct 28 - Paris, France @ L’Olympia
Oct 30 - Berlin, Germany @ Festaal Kreuzberg
Oct 31 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Musikforeningen Loppen
Nov 1 - Hamburg, Germany @ Grosse Freiheit 36
Nov 3 - Utrecht, Netherlands @ TivoliVredenburg Ronda
Nov 4 - Cologne, Germany @ Essigfabrik
Nov 5 - Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique Orangerie
Nov 9 - Dublin, Ireland @ Opium
Nov 10 - Glasgow, United Kingdom @ Óran Mór
Nov 11 - Manchester, United Kingdom @ Gorilla
Nov 12 - London, United Kingdom @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire