Temples Take a Nightmarish Trip to Disneyland on ‘Certainty’

I don't know Temples frontman James Bagshaw, but I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that he's set sail on Walt Disney's horrific boat ride through Hell. Of course, I'm talking about "It's a Small World After All." I posit this because, describing his sonic approach to the band's new single "Certainty" in a press release, the artist (who also produced the song) mentions wanting to "create something with almost an eerie, early Disney vibe, something playful and harmonious, but with a dark twist." Case in point, that scary-ass ride.

For those of you fortunate enough to have evaded the Magic Kingdom, let me set the scene: Confined in a cutesy, cramped dinghy, patrons embark on a slow voyage down a murky indoor river, creeping past various displays of mechanical, culturally diverse dolls. Their siren song (for which the attraction is titled) preaches a message of peace and unity ("There's so much that we share / That it's time we're aware"), helping to allay the cutesy overload; unfortunately, the ride's also prone to periodic mechanical errors that cause the boat to stop and the music to cut out entirely, unmasking the uncomfortable sound of the animatronics' whirring gears — and with it, the uncanny valley. Think I'm exaggerating? See for yourself.

It's a terrifying ordeal, the ghost in the machine rearing its ugly head. So, of course, you can't push it out of your mind. So it goes with "Certainty" — Temples' peppy facade belies a chaotic heart, the sweet melodies little more than a silver lining. If the song's any indication, Temples' forthcoming sophomore LP — the follow-up to 2014's Sun Structures, due out sometime next year via Fat Possum — should be a twisted, trippy affair. Listen below, and scroll down to find the band's upcoming itinerary.

TEMPLES on TOUR
Oct. 6 — London, England @ Oslo
Oct. 13 — Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Oct. 14 — Joshua Tree @ Desert Daze
Oct. 15 — San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
Oct. 17 — Portland, OR @ Star Theater
Oct. 18 — Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
Oct. 21 — St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
Oct. 22 — Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Oct. 23 — Columbus, OH @ The A&R Music Bar
Oct. 24 — Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Oct. 26 — New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Oct. 27 — Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
Oct. 28 — Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Oct. 29 — Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall