Consequence’s Origins series provides artists with a space to run fans through everything that went into their latest release. Today, glass beach take us through their new track, “rare animal.”

Fifth-wave emo trailblazers glass beach have announced their latest album, plastic death, set for release on Friday, January 19th. Following the release of their first single “the CIA,” the band has unveiled a brand new track, “rare animal,” out now via Run For Cover Records.

Drawing inspiration from midwestern emo and early 2000s indie folk, the band finds themselves mixing in their wide breadth of influences with their personal brand of emotional indie rock. Kicking off with a beautiful, mellow verse, the song quickly leads into a cathartic breakdown of a chorus. Complete with sparkling, dueling guitar lines and driving, wildly inventive drums, the tune expands upon their already sprawling sonic universe.

“We knew pretty much right away what [‘rare animal’] was supposed to be,” frontperson J McClendon tells Consequence. “The gang vocals were done by everyone in the band plus our secret fifth member Daxe. I love the gang vocals for how, rather than chanting some big hook or something, it feels like a greek chorus arguing with me. ‘Don’t get lost in a metaphor.’”

While you may not get lost in the metaphor, it is easy to get lost in the beauty of glass beach’s newest offering. A stunning song about not being able to get someone out of your head, “rare animal” turns the emotion and the volume up to 11, building excitement and anticipation for the rest of plastic death.

Check out the lyric video for glass beach’s “rare animal” below, followed by J McClendon’s breakdown of the song’s Origins.

Pre-orders for plastic death are ongoing. glass beach have mapped out a Spring 2024 tour in support of the album. See the schedule below, and tickets go on sale Friday, November 10 at 10:00 a.m. local time here.

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