Vanderwolf has officially launched his new musical monthly series, Vanderwolf Singles Club, with the release of its debut track, “As The Sun”. Officially released on February 19, the song is available to download and stream worldwide alongside an intricate animated music video, offering listeners a powerful and introspective experience. This acts as the follow-up to his previous single “A Time to Die”.
Recorded in London, “As The Sun” embraces a raw and earthy sound, built on two dobro resonator guitars that weave a rich, melancholic melody. The instrumentals, while stripped back, carry a weighty emotional resonance, allowing every note to breathe with depth and intention. Vanderwolf collaborated with vocalist Victy Silva, the wife of producer Chris Wyles, to create the song’s ethereal, choir-like harmonies, which add an almost otherworldly dimension to the track. Recorded in Wyles’ basement studio in Camberwell, South London, the song draws influence from Delta blues, with its resonant slide guitar and stark, unembellished production amplifying its haunting and introspective tone.
Vanderwolf’s intricate, expressive vocals are the heart of the song, effortlessly shifting between fragility and power. His voice, layered with silky harmonies and the deep, resonant twang of the guitars, carries a quiet intensity, drawing the listener into the song’s existential musings. Lyrically, the track is deeply contemplative, grappling with themes of impermanence, struggle, and fate. “Most of my songs wrestle with the fleeting nature of life,” Vanderwolf explains. “This one is no exception—it’s an existentialist’s anthem.” This sentiment is reflected in both the achingly sparse instrumentation and the raw vulnerability of the vocal delivery, leaving a deep impression, and drawing listeners into its introspective world.
Accompanying the single is a poignant animated music video, directed by Alden Volney, that delivers a stark visual representation of the song’s themes. The 1-minute-16-second teaser follows an alien-like prisoner, chained at the ankle, forced to work under the relentless heat of the sun.
With a prison guard standing behind them, gun in hand, the prisoner repeatedly swings a heavy sledgehammer against a rock. Their exhaustion is evident as sweat drips down their face, and for a brief moment, they pause to look up at the burning sun. But their moment of reprieve is cut short as the guard shouts at them, demanding they continue. The prisoner’s expression shifts from exhaustion to anger before they strike the rock once more—only for their hammer to shatter on impact.
As the cracks spread up the hammer’s shaft, it splinters and falls apart—but the destruction doesn’t stop there. The fractures travel to the prisoner’s hands, creeping up their arms, until their entire body begins to crumble, piece by piece. Their arms fracture, one of their feet breaks apart, and the cracks spread up to their head, and soon their entire form starts to crumble. It’s a chilling and symbolic sequence that visually reinforces the song’s critique of forced prison labour. The shattering of the prisoner serves as a devastating metaphor for the dehumanisation and destruction caused by such exploitative systems. Though brief, the video leaves a lasting impression, ensuring its message lingers long after the final frame.
Beyond its atmospheric sound, “As The Sun” also delivers a powerful social message, drawing attention to forced prison labour in the United States. Vanderwolf takes inspiration from the movement to abolish the 14th Amendment’s “exception clause”, which controversially allows prison slavery to continue. With recent legislative changes in states like Colorado, Alabama, and Oregon, the fight for reform is gaining momentum. Through this track, this singer-songwriter merges music with activism, using his artistry to spark conversation and raise awareness about a critical human rights issue.
Born Max Vanderwolf in New York and now based in Los Angeles, Vanderwolf has built an impressive career defined by reinvention and fearless creativity. Through the Vanderwolf Singles Club, he continues to push artistic boundaries, offering a fresh perspective on music and advocacy. He plans to release a new single every month, almost every four weeks, leading to a collection that he’s named the Vanderwolf Singles Club.
“As The Sun” is the first of the singles to be released under the Vanderwolf Singles Club, and is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via Another Record Label.