[Cover photo credit to Bobo Grundwald]

Outer Banks, North Carolina-based band Cor de Lux will release their Ipecac Recordings debut, Year Of The Horse, this Friday, September 18th, 2026. Leading up to this, the band have released their single and video “Blind Smile”.

Vocalist/guitar player Dawn Moraga shares:

The video is about someone stuck in a world of complacency. It’s her journey to break free and show color to the world around her. Much like the meaning of the song, it’s about being your true self.

Moraga has previously shared:

My cousin is deaf and his true laugh that isn’t altered from what he thinks he should laugh like is one of the most joyous sounds. I think this song is about, for me, personally trying to find that freedom not to care about what people think of me and to dig deep to find the real. It came together with John and I talking about the beauty of a true smile… the blind smile.

Bass player John Bliven described a similar theme, sharing his inspiration:

The title for ‘Blind Smile’ came about because I wanted to illustrate an event that inspired and humbled me. I was a videographer during a visually impaired persons (VIP) fishing tournament, an event that brings hundreds of VIPs to the Outer Banks every year. I was able to witness the most joy filled smile I’ve ever encountered as they felt the scales of the fish and comments about the texture and sliminess as they saw with their other senses.

On their new album, the Kill Devil Hills quartet works with Post-Hardcore, Shoegaze, and guitar-driven sounds. Year of the Horse was recorded and produced by J. Robbins (War on Women, Mary Timony).

The album is available for pre-order in multiple limited vinyl variants (including a hyper-limited Bandcamp exclusive swirl vinyl and Ipecac/Cor de Lux orange effect vinyl), standard black vinyl, cassette, CD, and digitally.

Cor de Lux tour dates:

September 20 Durham, NC Stanczyks #

September 25 Kill Devil Hills, NC Goombays

September 28 Richmond, VA Fuzzy Cactus

October 7 Philadelphia, PA Ortlieb’s

October 8 Brooklyn, NY The Broadway

October 10 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace *

October 11 Detroit, MI El Club *

October 13 Chicago, IL Outset *

October 14 St. Paul, MN Turf Club *

October 15 Davenport, IA Raccoon Motel

October 17 Louisville, KY Whirling Tiger

October 18 Asheville, NC Static Age

*-w/SLIFT

#-w/W.I.T.C.H.