New Zealand singer-songwriter Vera Ellen unveiled their new song “Crack The Whip” yesterday.

The track deals with the artist feeling homesick while temporarily living in Los Angeles. A music video for the track, which was co-created by Ellen and their brother Albert River, features footage from Ellen’s trip to the Wellington Zoo in 1997. In a statement, Ellen said:

“I was feeling a bit of whiplash from moving countries. I was reflecting a lot on the motions of life, the wheel of fortune and coming to accept that our efforts to control anything are charmingly futile.
I used to work at this pop up called "Wonderworld" on Hollywood Boulevard. No one would ever come in so I would just stand at the counter and look out the window wondering why the hell I came here.”

“Crack The Whip” comes from Ellen’s forthcoming studio album It’s Your Birthday, which will be released on October 8 via Flying Nun Records. Pre-orders for the release can be made here.