OUTER Float Between Light and Shadow on New Single “In Limbo”

Photo by Sara Maroye

Belgian composer Tom Soetaert, under his OUTER moniker, returns with the quietly powerful new single “In Limbo”, offering an intimate first glimpse into his forthcoming album Glowing Mountains in the Sky, due February 13th via AWAL.

Known for creating rich soundscapes that blur the line between contemporary classical and atmospheric electronics, OUTER once again invites listeners into a world that feels both vast and deeply personal. “In Limbo” unfolds gently through drifting piano, swelling strings, hushed vocals and subtle electronic textures, creating a soft, suspended atmosphere that feels like standing still while time moves around you.

The track was written during a period of uncertainty as Soetaert awaited the birth of his first child, and that emotional tension quietly hums beneath every note. There is warmth and euphoria here, but also vulnerability and fear, as the song balances light against shadow. Gentle melodies glow, then slowly give way to darker synth tones and muted rhythms, mirroring the emotional contrast of stepping into an unknown future.

Musically, “In Limbo” sits somewhere between the weightless beauty of Sigur Rós and the intimate modern classical touch of Ólafur Arnalds. Whispered vocals drift at the edges, strings ache softly beneath, and the spaces between notes feel just as meaningful as the sounds themselves.

Much of Glowing Mountains in the Sky was written in remote locations across Iceland, Norway and the Czech Republic, with field recordings from those environments woven into the album’s textures. You can hear that sense of space and isolation in “In Limbo”, which feels shaped by quiet landscapes and open air.

With “In Limbo”, OUTER captures that fragile moment before everything changes, when joy and fear exist side by side. It is a tender, suspended breath of a song that lingers long after it fades.

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