Tropics Unveils 'Ionian Mirage', a Lush Preview of Upcoming Album ‘Reality Fever’

New single marks a lush, emotional return for Tropics.

Los Angeles-based British artist Tropics - the moniker of producer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Ward - emerges from creative solitude with his shimmering new single 'Ionian Mirage,' out today via his own imprint, Modern Entity.

The track is the first taste of Tropics’ forthcoming album 'Reality Fever,' set for release on 3 September, and it plays like a sonic postcard from somewhere far away. Anchored by a ghostly Rhodes loop and glistening layers of brushed percussion and bass, 'Ionian Mirage' evokes the dreamy warmth of a Mediterranean summer, tempered by the ache of longing and emotional unrest. Fans of James Blake, Mount Kimbie, and Toro Y Moi will feel at home in Tropics’ evolving sonic universe.

“This song was about wanting to be on the other side of the world,” Ward explains. “I was lost in memories of the Mediterranean and Ionian Sea while being stuck in Los Angeles, navigating a tough moment in life.” The result is a track that balances escapism with vulnerability - psychedelic, sun-drenched, and quietly devastating.

'Reality Fever,' recorded entirely in Ward’s LA studio, promises a shift toward heavier textures and raw emotion. Embracing a grittier, DIY palette of indie rock, post-punk, and electronica, the album explores anxiety, social pressure, and inner monologues that spiral under the weight of modern life. “This is something I wanted to blast in the car,” Ward says. “Heavy drums, rhythmic bass, and soundscapes that space you out - chilled but throbbing with angst.”.