
Texas indie-rock stalwarts Midlake are back with the driving and cinematic new single “The Calling,” the latest preview of their sixth studio album A Bridge To Far (out November 7 via Midlake Records/Believe). Produced by Sam Evian (Big Thief, Cass McCombs) at the band’s home base The Echo Lab in Denton, TX, the record promises a widescreen meditation on hope, persistence, and the beauty in overlooked details.
On “The Calling,” Midlake lean into propulsion and uplift, weaving a steady rhythmic backbone with horns that explode into the mix like sudden sunlight. Frontman Eric Pulido explains, “Lyrically, the song has to do with my own struggle with applying myself towards a given effort; denying or embracing that which we were made to do.” It’s one of the most anthemic tracks in their catalog, recalling the cinematic heights of The Trials of Van Occupanther but infused with a renewed confidence and warmth.
The album also features guest vocals from Madison Cunningham, Hannah Cohen, and Meg Lui, adding lush harmonies to Midlake’s layered arrangements. Previous singles “The Ghouls” and “Days Gone By” hinted at the record’s duality—dark, mysterious undercurrents balanced by moments of radiant uplift.
A Bridge To Far marks the band’s first new collection in three years, following 2022’s For The Sake of Bethel Woods. Pulido notes, “This album is less about referencing someone else’s sound and more about sounding like us.” With Evian’s atmospheric touch, Midlake capture the intimacy of playing together in the room, while also expanding their sound with new textures and cinematic scope.
Midlake will celebrate the album’s release with a short run of shows this November, including stops in Austin, Fort Worth, and Los Angeles. More dates are expected soon.
Review – A Bridge To Far
Midlake’s sixth record is a powerful return, brimming with confidence and quiet intensity. Where For The Sake of Bethel Woods leaned into nostalgia and reflection, A Bridge To Far embraces renewal. The interplay of Pulido’s vocals with Cunningham’s and Cohen’s harmonies adds luminous depth, while Sam Evian’s production balances atmosphere with immediacy.
Standouts like “The Calling” and “Days Gone By” capture Midlake’s gift for cinematic storytelling—music that feels both intimate and expansive, grounded yet soaring. After 20 years together, the band sounds more unified than ever, channeling their history into an album that resonates with hope without denying hardship.
Rating: 8.6/10 – A luminous, life-affirming work that reminds us why Midlake remain one of indie’s most quietly vital bands.