Formed almost a decade ago, Los Angeles-based post punk outfit Automatic — Izzy Glaudini (synths, vocals), Lola Dompé (drums, vocals) and Halle Saxon Gaines (bass, vocals) — have released two albums:
- Their full-length debut, 2019’s Signals saw the trio quickly establishing their sound, which paired motorik grooves with icy atmospheres.
- Their sophomore effort, 2022’s Excess saw the band sonically riding an imaginary edge where the 70s underground met 80s corporate culture.
After they finished touring to support their sophomore album, each member of the trio pursued their own interests: Glaudini honed her skills as a producer; Saxon Gaines enrolled in botany classes; and Dompé got married, moved out to the country and began caring for horses.
With two albums under their collective belts, the trio wanted to do something different for their third album. Slated for a fall release through Stones Throw Records. Is It Now? sees the trio collaborating with producer Loren Humphrey to build upon the sound of their previous releases — minimalist yet danceable songs, which they describe as “deviant pop.” Throughout the album’s recording process, Humphrey encouraged the band to play live and loose through long takes that allowed the rhythm section to breathe.
Is It Now? will feature album title track, “Is It Now?,” a continuation of the sound they’ve established through their first two albums, while simultaneously being a subtle refine with one of the tightest grooves they’ve written to date with their unerring knack for catchy hooks. And at its core, the song expresses a deeply modern sense of unease and restlessness.
Is It Now?‘s second and latest single, “Mercury” is a brooding and slow-burning, trip hop-like track featuring glistening synth stabs and a propulsive backbeat sample that’s heavily inspired by the Stones Throw catalog. The band’s Izzy Glaudini says, the song’s lyrics are a reminder “not to fall into nihilism or cynicism, to instead see life through a bit of a spiritual lens.” She adds, “Despite the horrible shit constantly happening, life can still be mysterious and beautiful. I wanted to lean into a sense of dreaminess, and to have the verses feel like a dark lullaby.”
Directed by Sira Sounds, the accompanying, dreamily shot visual features the trio — both individually and as a unit — drinking from a goblet with green liquid.
Automatic will be embarking on a co-headlining tour with Los Angeles-based post-punks Sextile this fall. The tour includes a September 25, 2025 stop at Warsaw. Check out the rest of the tour dates below.
Automatic on tour:
9/16: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
9/17: Denver, CO @ Meow Wolf Denver
9/19: Chicago, IL @ Outset
9/20: Detroit, MI @ Tangent Gallery
9/21: Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
9/23: Montreal, QC @ Théâtre Fairmount
9/24: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
9/25: Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
9/26: Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry @ The Fillmore
9/27: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
9/29: Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall
9/30: Nashville, TN @ The Blue Room at Third Man Records
10/1: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
10/3: Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory
10/4: Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
10/5: Austin, TX @ Mohawk (Outside)
10/6: El Paso, TX @ The Lowbrow Palace
10/8: Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
10/9: Las Vegas, NV @ Swan Dive
10/10: San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
10/11: Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
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