After a 13-year hiatus from fronting Big Sky, singer/songwriter and guitarist Steve Louw returned to recording with Headlight Dreams, followed by 2022’s Thunder & Rain, 2024’s Between Time, and now his fourth solo album release within five years, Traces Of The Flood, is due out on 15th May.
Already being referred to as “a ten track sonic adventure where each track etches into your aural subconscious”, Louw has issued his first single, ‘Time To Move’, from the long player.
Born in the Netherlands but with most of his life spent in South Africa, Louw was inducted into that country’s Rock Hall of Fame in 2003. His professional career began in the early 1980s with All Night Radio, whose second album The Killing Floor was produced by Kevin Shirley, developing a collaboration and friendship that continues to this day. Louw formed Big Sky in 1990 and their debut album, Waiting For The Dawn, arrived just as South Africa began moving away from apartheid rule, helping soundtrack a decade of positive revolution. Five more albums followed, alongside FNB South African Music Awards, sellout tours, and as evidenced in the Oscar-winning documentary Searching For Sugar Man, opening for and acting as backing band for Rodriguez.
Louw found his own international profile increasing after collaborating with Queen‘s Brian May and Eurythmics‘ Dave Stewart on the song ‘Amandla’, recorded for the 46664 Aids awareness project inspired by the work of Nelson Mandela. From 2021, he began issuing solo albums, all produced by Shirley, featuring contributions from the likes of Joe Bonamassa and Doug Lancio. Regarding those appearing on Traces Of The Flood, Louw commented: “I’d seen Bob Britt play with Doug Lancio at a Dylan show in Memphis, and I wanted to have those two guitar players in the band for this record.”
“Kevin liked the old RCA studio in Nashville, having worked there before with Joanne Shaw Taylor,” he added. “It’s quite a funky space. It’s got a lovely vibe. It’s a big room, and all this gear, amps, you name it, are there, so the place has music in its walls.”
Arriving at the studio with “18 songs that were in shape,” only ten made the cut during the Traces Of The Flood sessions. Regarding new single ‘Time To Move’, Louw commented: “The band felt it; I didn’t think I’d do that song if only because I thought it wasn’t ready, but when we started playing it, we fell right into the song’s groove. It was the second last song we played, and after three days of jamming in the studio the song became effortless.”
Those missing the driving rhythms of Tom Petty‘s Heartbreakers might want to turn their lugholes towards South African singer/songwriter Steve Louw‘s new single ‘Time To Move’, where over brisk warm sounds he offers a dry, wizened approach about capturing the moment while looking towards more good times ahead.
You can check out the official music video for ‘Time To Move’ at RAMzine below. Traces Of The Flood is available to pre-order now.
