Finishing 2024 on a high with the chart-topping success of Summer Won’t Be The Same, Bay of Plenty psychedelic indie act Mirage unveil an intimate new side of their artistry with their latest single Before the Night, a bilingual acoustic pop ballad, showcasing the band’s evolving sound.

Renowned for their high-energy reggae-rock festival anthems, Mirage slow things down with this emotional and contemplative sweet single, a reminder to hold onto what matters most. Fittingly the lyrics and melodies date back to when lead singer / guitarist Ben Horlock was in his mid-teens, living in a small town near Dunedin and just starting to write his first songs.

“It was one of those songs that I remember writing quite early on, and as I grew older I would always tend to go back and change little parts here and there. It always seemed to just stick around, and now flash forward to years later it’s still here and somewhat the same… Even though some parts may have changed, it’s cool that some stayed just the way 16-year old me wrote them,” Ben laughs.

Blending warm acoustic guitar tones, and nostalgic lyrics and silky harmonies, Before the Night has a timeless mood, matching the song’s original spark.

“It began as a song about being in love, and so deep in it that you just don’t want time to race like it tends to… About the kind of night you never want to end, and about savouring the now before it’s gone. It’s that feeling of being caught in something so beautiful – whether it’s a person, a place, or a moment – that you just want to freeze time.”

While the sentiment remains unchanged, Ben’s experiences of life from 16 to 21, along with Mirage’s development as a band, mean the song has come a long way. Working again with producer Christian Tjandrawinata in Tāmaki Makaurau, the aim was to capture the song’s original raw and stripped-back feel. The recording process was intentionally intimate, and the result is a track that finds balance between simplicity and emotional sincerity.

“Before the Night has had a pretty cool journey as a song. It started out as that really acoustic guitar ballad vibe I suppose, and then over time I just got inspired by other things, and it took me to different places! Just being inspired by what I listen to. It all has really influenced me… It’s very cool how over the years of making and finishing this song, it’s really been a journey that has happened pretty naturally.”

“This one just flowed,” the band agree. “It felt like we were tapping into something real. Songs like that come together naturally – they don’t need much dressing up.”

Known for their energetic hooks and festival-ready sound, Before the Night signals a new chapter for Mirage – one grounded in storytelling, melody and soul. With support from Te Māngai Pāho the band also incorporated te reo Māori elements, furthering their commitment to bilingual storytelling. The accompanying music video, filmed on location at the Whangamatā estuary, near their hometown of Mount Maunganui, mirrors the song’s emotional pull.

“We love the big tracks, but this is just as much a part of who we are,” says Ben. “There’s something magic about stripping it all back and focusing purely on the music. The chorus will hopefully resonate the most with people, but it’s hard to pick a song apart and say which part is the favourite. We just think that this song is a cool follow to our others that have been dropping, and we are so pumped to show you this other side of us musically…”