Photo Credit: Ray Keogh
ASLAN are set to release their new single ‘A Hand To Hold‘ on July 11th and will perform it live for the first time during their upcoming Australian tour.
The upbeat melodic new track comes ahead of a busy summer for the four piece who are also currently working on a new album which is due out later this year.
Following on from the success of their hit ‘Hear Your Call‘ in March, Aslan have described their new single which they recorded at Jealoustown Studios as having a “new sound”.
Speaking about the upcoming new single and the meaning behind it, the band have said it’s about life and how sometimes you feel like nothing is going right, like there’s “A Devil in Heaven and a God in Hell.”
They said: “At times, when feeling that way, we don’t realise there’s a hand to hold, to show us not everything in life is as bad as it feels. Sometimes you need to open your eyes, to see there is still good amongst all the bad.”
“Like with all songs, the message that resonates with each individual, can be different, as we all have different thoughts, experiences and views in life. For us, it’s a feel good song, a positive song.”
“There are a number of singalong parts in it, which we see as a way of bringing people together and this is something we really love when performing live, strangers, friends, singing together, singing back to us and with us.”
Lead singer Lee Tomkins said he is very excited about performing the single live for the first time during their gig in Perth, Australia, on July 11th, he said: “It feels good to be getting more new music out and for it to have a different sound to anything the band has done before, it’s exciting. It’s great to hear everyone singing along. That’s the aim of the song so performing it in Australia for the first time is going to be special.”
While founding member Joe Jewell said the recording process for the new single was very enjoyable, he added: “We are well settled in now. All we can do is keep being creative. The recording process is always enjoyable. Once the recording starts, it’s full steam ahead.”
Drummer Alan Downey said it’s important for the band to continue putting out new material for people to hear, to progress and move forward, he said: “Releasing new material has always been a top priority for us. We thrive on being creative. It feels good every time we release something new. Being in recording mode is special. It obviously brings all the writing process, rehearsals, and ideas together and it’s brilliant to hear that final recording.”
Guitarist Billy McGuinness said the new material the band are releasing is letting people hear the direction the band are moving towards.
“Having released our first single with Lee in March this year, it’s great to be releasing our second one so quickly as it lets people who haven’t seen the band live hear the direction we are going in,” he said.
“I think the last single ‘Hear Your Call’ had the Aslan vibe but with this new single, it’s definitely different for us. But different is good in my opinion.”
“It’s great playing a new song for the first time, there is excitement and nervousness in the air. Like when we played ‘Hear Your Call’ for the first time in the Olympia. We will be playing ‘A Hand To Hold’ live for the first time on our tour of Australia which starts in Perth on July 11th. I think because it has such a singalong chorus it will go down very well.”
‘A Hand To Hold‘ will be available on all music platforms on July 11th 2025.