Photo: Wyndham Garnett
At fans’ request and due to heightened popularity, Mikaela Davis and Southern Star return with Play Dead – The Relix Session, now available in an eye-catching In The Dark Variant, a limited edition pressing of fluorescent pink and blue 140g vinyl housed in revitalized Dead Relix-inspired cover art by Madalyn Stefanak. The update emanates a bulk of energy associated with a glowing visual twist that demands plays, and expands appreciation of the song’s originators.
Davis and Southern Star’s Play Dead—The Relix Session was initially tracked live in the Relix Studio in New York City on August 3, 2021. The 10-track collection was recorded during the sacred stretch of dates for the Grateful Dead community known as the Days Between, August 1 through 9, which spans lead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s birthday and death dates.
In the studio, Davis lent harp-focused renditions of Grateful Dead classics, digging deep into the band’s songbook and selecting beloved material that ranges from 1967’s transformative “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion),” the post-apocalyptic commentary of “Morning Dew,” and fan favorite/ summer tone setter, “Here Comes Sunshine” on Side A.
Side B leans into the softer side of things, with heartfelt interpretations of “Mountains of the Moon,” a song Davis covered during Relix’s 50th anniversary at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl in January, alongside original contributor and late-‘60s member of the Dead, Tom Constanten. “Dark Star” accentuates the B Side, and is revisited on C, in addition to the tale of August West via “Wharf Rat” and “St. Stephen.”
Ultimately, Side D pulls in the Dead’s unofficial send-off song and frequent encore, “Brokedown Palace,” and murder ballad, “Cold Rain and Snow.” Jesse Lauter mixed and mastered the audio for Play Dead—The Relix Session.
In The Dark Variant of David and Southern Star’s Play Dead—The Relix Session is limited to 1250 copies. Order now. Please note: This product is a pre-order and is expected to ship around August 11, 2025.
Track Listing:
Side A:
The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)
Morning Dew
Here Comes Sunshine
Side B:
Mountains of the Moon
Dark Star
Side C:
Wharf Rat
Dark Star
St. Stephen
Side D:
Brokedown Palace
Cold Rain and Snow
Content shared from relix.com.