Nearly three years have passed since L’Rain (the musical project of Taja Cheek) graced supporters with a body of work. In the time, so much of the world has changed, and frankly, so has she.
Filled with the vast wealth of lived experience and sonic exploration during this self-imposed isolation, L’Rain is ready to pour her discoveries onto her forthcoming album, fata morgana, due out on August 14 via Mexican Summer.
As the official follow-up to 2023’s I Killed Your Dog, on fata morgana, listeners can expect, in the recording artist’s words, “a fearless reckoning with self-doubt and the mirages of belonging and alienation.”
The project’s newly shared lead single, “soulless cycle,” which was co-produced alongside Ben Chapoteau-Katz, is an unapologetic sampler of what’s to come from L’Rain.
But L’Rain’s upcoming fourth studio album adheres to one strict rule, and that’s that there are no rules. According to fata morgana‘s liner notes provided by Mexican Summer, the album will feature dancehall, tape meditations, slow jams, gospel, and crunched metal influences.
Over on Instagram, L’Rain penned a note detailing the creative journey of fata morgana.
“Experimental music is over,” wrote L’Rain. “I never played jazz. Above all, I hope to make one thing clear—I do what the fuck I want. I always take big swings, but these are my biggest so far. I’m proud of that. Leave expectations at the door.”
She continued, “Mirages are stand-ins for distortions of self-image. Rose of Jericho plants. Crude ice sculptures. Bioluminescent sea creatures. I’m floating above my body to understand my life and career up until this point. I am wondering what it means to be in a world that wasn’t meant for you. I am wondering if I am staring up at a glass ceiling.”
L’Rain closed the post, writing, “It feels crazy to be releasing music in this moment. I want to believe people still care. but most importantly, I know I gave this album everything I have and I still have so much music left to write. ❤️🔥”
Watch L’Rain’s official Mackai Sharp-directed video for lead single “soulless cycle” below.
Continue reading to view L’Rain’s fata morgana album cover and tracklist.
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Tracklist
- “rumors of light”
- “with time”
- “blue”
- “july 5th”
- “bedroom songs”
- “borderline”
- “elmyra”
- “soulless cycle”
- “no body / know body”
- “glass ceiling”
- “i remember”
- “birthday”
- “church of no one”
Album Cover
L’Rain’s album, fata morgana, is due out on August 14, 2026, via Mexican Summer. Click here to pre-save or pre-order.