Sally Grayson has a new single out as of this week. The American singer-songwriter, living in Germany, has fronted both Black Swift and Standbye in the indie rock field but more recently has turned to dark alternative country. She released a brilliant album called The Darkness in Me (reviewed here).
Written from a place of grief and deep empathy, Grayson’s new single “The Empty Place” is a cinematic and haunting tribute to the suffering of Palestinians. Blending intimate, close-mic vocals with walls of atmospheric, distorted guitars and mournful synths, the song evokes the emotional weight of loss and displacement with raw beauty.
Recorded at Mystery Train Studios in Stuttgart, Germany, the track features producer Markus Birkle (Die Fantastischen Vier) on guitar and synths, and David Arzt on additional guitar and drums. The song was mixed by Gabriel Sullivan (XIXA, Giant Sand) at Dust & Stone Studio in Tucson, Arizona, whose touch adds depth and desert grit to the track’s moody soundscape.
“The Empty Place” is both a lament and a call for empathy. Its mournful textures echo the influence of artists like Beth Gibbons and Low, while its message offers solidarity with those facing violence and exile.
In conjunction with the release, Grayson has launched a fundraiser supporting Watermelon Sisters, a Chicago-based grassroots organization working to uplift Palestinian voices and provide aid on the ground. Fans can access a free download of the song this week by pre-saving it on Spotify or joining her Patreon.
Links for streaming and/or downloading can be found below.