Hear Mac DeMarco’s Gauzy New Slow Jam ‘On the Level’
Mac DeMarco unveiled a slinky and pensive new song, “On the Level,” from his upcoming album, This Old Dog, which arrives May 5th.
“On the Level” boasts the steady groove, bubbling bass and cool key stabs of a timeless slow jam, though its chief instrumental trait is a recurring synth riff that straddles the line between sweet and queasy. DeMarco’s soft croon completes the song’s gauzy pop vibe, while his lyrics touch on the album’s larger themes of family: “Boy, this could be your year/ Make an old man proud of you/ Forget about the tears.”
“On the Level” follows previously released album cuts “My Old Man” and “This Old Dog.” DeMarco recently directed a video for the latter, in which a handful of actors wearing theatrical canine masks enjoy a day wandering around Los Angeles.
This Old Dog follows DeMarco’s 2014 LP, Salad Days, and his 2015 mini-album, Another One. The musician is scheduled to play Coachella the weekends of April 14th and 21st before embarking on a North American tour May 9th in Burlington, Vermont.