Mirador Hits the Ground Running With “Feels Like Gold”
Single Review ★ Kenzie Gay ★ @kenzwrites ★ 650 Words
It’s here. You know them, you love them, and you’ve probably been at least a little irritated at them at one point or another since their birth: Mirador. After 15 months of cryptic performances, Instagram teasers, and poetic anecdotes given by co-frontmen Jake Kiszka (Greta Van Fleet) and Chris Turpin (Ida Mae), Mirador has finally released their first official song on all platforms - Feels Like Gold. The song hit the world on July 25th, 2025 and it’s a surefire sign that Mirador is here not only to rock but to play the long game, too.
(left to right) Nick Pini, Chris Turpin, Jake Kiszka, Mikey Sorbello. Right photo via Lewis Evans.
Even if you haven’t been able to catch Mirador on tour, fans of the band surely recognize the main riff to Feels Like Gold because it’s been the one (and only) song snippet the group has used on social platforms whether it be a mysterious visual or a Tiktok collection of performance footage. It’s a great auditory symbol of what Mirador really is - dark, alluring, mystical, and downright bluesy.
The song falls in without much build-up or introduction. It’s an explosion of guitars, keys, drums, and bass for a split moment but then it all melts away to reveal that integral riff, the key to the song in some way. It stands alone to draw listeners in then it gels back in with the other instrumentals. It’s the type of beginning to a song that has the potential to give listeners whiplash but I suggest that people take advantage of that rather than viewing it as a negative.
“There's water rising on the ridge. The lowlands are covered in smoke. A deep quiet descends and the night falls like a cloak”. Sung by Kiszka in a passionate battle cry, the entire vibe of the song’s writing is undoubtedly adjacent to the poetic and storytelling-esque knack of Greta Van Fleet’s, too. It depicts medieval themes that revolve around war, hunger, and legacy.
I personally took it to be a piece potentially written from the perspective of a greed-riddled person in power, which is showcased all throughout but particularly in the second verse when Kiszka sings “there's sickness in the heartland, lies burning to the East. Still we carry the water, and we carry the flame. We carry our swords like knives to the feast and it feels, like gold”. It could also very well be a political or historical commentary given recent events in the United States, where all four band members reside (including Turpin, who relocated to Nashville from the UK in 2019).
Apart from the refreshing lyricism and that ear-buzzing riff, one of the highs from Feels Like Gold is an instrumental break within the song’s second half. Distorting at first, the break heavily relies on percussion via Mikey Sorbello in its opening seconds then it is pierced and elevated with a guitar solo that comes straight from the fires and soul of the newly-established force that is Mirador and its contributors. Ultimately, the piece meets its demise with an isolated vocal take of Kiszka and Turpin that’s punctuated with the song’s signature instrumentals but I’m sure most will have this track on repeat after a first listen, anyway, so does the demise really matter?
If you’re a fan of new rock, classic rock, guitar solos, or even British literature, I recommend that you give Mirador a listen. Crowds of Greta Van Fleet have held mixed opinions regarding this new group but based on what I’ve seen, it’s because they’re expecting Greta Van Fleet 2.0, which Mirador is anything but. It’s its own entity of greatness - something I’m sure they’re bound for.
Looking onward, the band has much up their sleeve. This fall, they will embark on the second leg of their first headlining tour in cities such as Grand Rapids, Nashville, and more. Furthermore, their debut album, MIRADOR, will be available to stream and purchase on September 19th. Readers can pre save it below. As of publishing, Mirador also has a live taping of Feels Like Gold available to watch, which is linked in this article.
