| August 15, 2025 (Nashville, TN): Nashville-based alternative rock duo Sleep Nation unleashes their new single, “The Spaceman – Setup the Controls,” now available on all digital streaming platforms. The track, the second single in what the duo calls “The Spaceman Saga,” sets the stage for their upcoming full length project, The Spaceman – Conquest, dropping August 22, 2025.
“Setup the Controls” is a cosmic power trip – an explosive declaration destined to leave its mark on the alternative scene. From the first beat, a bombastic, pulsing intro makes it clear – there’s no holding back, no slow or gentle build-up.
At its core, the song is a story of transformation and self-empowerment. The chorus drives that message home: “You don’t know if I’ll ever become one / I’m the greatest creature that’s ever been sung / You will praise me for eternity / Feel the orange glow on bended knee.” An existential thread runs throughout, especially in lines like: “Ride the wave / through the fire and flame / Chasing the edge where the stars hold my name / In the shadow of the cosmos / I’ll find my run / Set the controls for the heart of the sun.” These lyrics feel both poetic and defiant, grounded in the belief that identity can be forged in fire.
Just when it feels like it can’t get any bigger, the final chorus erupts – solidifying the song’s central message: a refusal to shrink, a demand to take up space, and to do so unapologetically. From an artist’s perspective, it’s a rallying cry to be seen, heard, and remembered. That’s the beauty of “Setup the Controls” – like all great art, it invites interpretation, leaving the listener with both awe and conviction.
MORE ABOUT SLEEP NATION: Known for their chaotic, full-throttle shows, Sleep Nation has opened for national acts such as Adema and Sponge, earned nominations at the Josie Awards, and secured placements on Apple Music editorial playlists, Earmilk, and more. Their genre-bending sound pulls from glam rock, alt-pop, and cinematic rock to deliver music that is equal parts raw, theatrical, and immersive. With “The Spaceman – Setup the Controls,” Sleep Nation continues to push sonic boundaries – teasing their listeners on what to expect when they release their much anticipated EP on August 22, The Spaceman – Conquest.
MORE ABOUT THE FULL PROJECT: Brann Merritt, lead singer, describes the upcoming full project: “The Spaceman is not just a traveler of the cosmos – he’s a harbinger of what’s to come. Sent into the void by a secretive black-budget space program, he vanished beyond a black hole – where time, identity, and reality fractured. He returned no longer human – but something divine and destructive. Now he stands as the first of the Four Horsemen – Conquest – leading not with force, but with seduction, sound, and spectacle. His gospel is music – his pulpit, the stage – his message? The end is already written, and he is only the beginning.” |
