The trailblazers known as The Veldt are back with their new single ‘Black Girl’, along with a video by Rob Weiss and James Eakins, heralding their ‘Spanakopita’ EP. Released as a tour-exclusive CD, featuring new tracks and experimental demos, this was created especially for their Arctic Moon Tour with post-punk legends The Chameleons. Kicking off April 7 in Minneapolis, this sweeping run of shows brings The Veldt’s sound to a wide cross-section of East Coast, South-Central US and Midwest audiences, along with select Canadian dates.
One of the most notable first-wave shoegaze bands, formed in North Carolina in the 1980s by identical twins Daniel Chavis (vocals, guitar) and Danny Chavis (guitar), The Veldt have long occupied a distinctive space where shoegaze textures intersect with soul, gospel, and experimental rock. Drawing inspiration from artists as varied as Prince, Sun Ra and Pink Floyd, the band developed an approach that favors atmosphere, groove, and emotional nuance over rigid genre boundaries.
After relocating to New York City and expanding their lineup with bassist and programmer Hayato Nakao, the group deepened its sonic identity, incorporating layered production and electronic elements while maintaining a strong melodic core. Consistently prioritizing depth and mood, their recordings reward close listening and their live performances emphasize immersion.
The ‘Spanakopita’ EP includes mixes by Carlos Bess, engineer for the Wu-Tang Clan production circle, along with Will Brooks (Dälek) and Jason Furlow (aka Nosaj) of Nosaj Thing and New Kingdom, also known for his new project Wave Generators and famed collaboration with Morcheeba. Their involvement helped shape the project’s evolving fusion of post-punk atmosphere and DJ-culture experimentation—an approach developed through ongoing collaboration over the years working as a production team Illuminutty (a.k.a. VELDT).
The lead track ‘Black Girl’ reinterprets themes from the 1972 film ‘Black Girl’, reflecting the determination of a young dancer striving toward excellence, despite the social limitations surrounding her. Inspired by that spirit of persistence and vision, the track channels a modern, dream-pop-inflected atmosphere reminiscent of A.R. Kane, while moving beyond strict genre labels like shoegaze to incorporate broader influences and sonic elements.
“Many of the recordings on ‘Spanakopita’ point toward the direction of our next body of work. Alongside newly created material, the release also draws from a deep archive of previously unreleased recordings from past years – part of a larger collection scheduled for release this September on Little Cloud Records and 5BC Records – as we continue expanding the sound shaped through these collaborations,” says Daniel Chavis.
The Veldt’s music career has been rich, gradually building a solid legacy. Pitchfork included The Veldt’s album ‘Afrodisiac’, produced by the legendary Ray Shulman (The Sundays, Bjork, The Sugarcubes) in the top 50 shoegaze albums ever released, while Stereogum included ‘Until You’re Forever’ in the top 31 shoegaze tracks. Their recent ‘Illuminated 1989′ album, produced by Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie, was also widely acclaimed with support on six continents.
Over the years, The Veldt has collaborated with TV On The Radio, Mos Def, Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite), A.R.Kane and toured or played with Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, Echo & The Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Manic Street Preachers, Phantogram, Modern English, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oasis, Chuck D, Living Colour and Schooly D.
Merging expansive sound design with rhythmic drive and vocal intensity, The Veldt’s pairing with The Chameleons brings together two acts known for their commitment to sonic detail and emotional resonance. The Veldt’s presence on this tour underscores their own enduring relevance, continued artistic momentum and expanding horizons.
‘Black Girl’ is available as a Bandcamp exclusive. Tickets for The Veldt performances with The Chameleons are now available online, while the ‘Spanakopita’ CD can only be found at these shows.
EP TRACK LIST
01 Forevergreen (The Ecology)
02 Black Girl
03 Morning June Yesterday
04 Dakini (Remix)
05 Dakini
06 Slow Dragg
07 I’ll Take You There
CREDITS
Written, Recorded & Mixed by Illuminutty (Doityodamnself Prod)
Performed by Nakao Hayato, Danny Chavis & Daniel Chavis
‘Evergreen’ mixed by Dälek (Will Brooks)
‘Dakini (Remix)’ by Carlos Bess & Jason Furlow
Produced by Illuminutty (Doityodamnself Prod) aka VELDT
Mastered by James Populos (Populis Recording)
Artwork & Layout by Danny Chavis, Joe Nesbit, and Butterfly Soup Ltd.
Copyright 5BC / Little Cloud 2026
‘Black Girl’ video by Rob Weiss & James Eakins
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
TOUR DATES (with The Chameleons)
APR 7 — Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
APR 8 — Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
APR 10 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
APR 11 — Detroit, MI @ The Magic Stick
APR 12 — Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
APR 13 — Montreal, QC @ Théâtre Fairmount
APR 14 — Somerville, MA @ Crystal Ballroom
APR 16 — Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
APR 17 — Washington, DC @ Black Cat
APR 18 — Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
APR 19 — Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony
APR 20 — Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall
APR 21 — Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
APR 23 — Tampa, FL @ New World Music Hall
APR 24 — Orlando, FL @ The Social
APR 25 — West Palm Beach, FL @ Respectable Street
APR 26 — Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits
APR 27 — Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage – The Loft
APR 28 — Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
APR 30 — Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips
MAY 1 — Austin, TX @ Mohawk (Outside)
MAY 2 — Houston, TX @ Numbers