Lizzy McAlpine has released "The light in the painting," the lead single from her upcoming fourth studio album, Angel. The song finds the singer-songwriter in a lovestruck mood, continuing the emotional territory explored on her previous album, Older, and marking her return with new music after building anticipation for the record.

The track opens with a minimalist arrangement as McAlpine likens new love to "the light in the painting/ that my eye is drawn to first," before swelling into a fuller sound featuring acoustic guitar, piano and drums. McAlpine said she wrote the song, the first written for the album, almost two years ago about the euphoric start of a new relationship, calling it the perfect introduction to Angel's world. The album is set for release on 18 September via RCA Records.