Reflecting Light

The Avalanches called in Sananda Maitreya to write the lyrics to this track and add the vocals. Maitreya, once known as Terence Trent D'Arby, came up with a cosmic concept, looking at humanity in the scope of the universe and its light. He told Songfacts the story: "When first approached with the opportunity for collaboration with The Avalanches, there was an internal discussion regarding the nature of the song and what was the intention of the expression. Why this song? And why now? We are living in and through a time of unprecedented fear, turmoil and upheaval. All the while seemingly run by people and policies that very much seem to want to socially distance themselves from we the people. And our judgment of our humanity has seemingly crystallized into a place whereby we are expected to maintain hardened postures against ourselves and keep ourselves in places of denial. We each through trial and error find for ourselves what works in keeping us engaged with the larger meditation of life and its consequences, while balancing our will with our 'karma,' with the various things we inherit from our bloodlines, our societies, our triumphs, our tragedies. Along the way, we stumble, tumble and fall. And then we rise again. We seek to deprive who we are of the oxygen of grace whereby it is clear that it has been designed that indeed, 'life is habit forming,' and conspires that we not pass through her membrane without having found the foundational elements for our security. In our cultural landscape, we are conditioned to a hostile way of seeing our adopted habits as negative, which then presents us with negotiating a negative spirit. And whether we choose sports, mental exercises, philosophy, religion or the 'dreaded drink,' we are each hard pressed to pass through life without becoming attached to people, places and things that provide sustenance and comfort for the long journey ahead."

The female vocal is a sample from the 1970 song "Glow Worms" by the British singer Vashti Bunyan. "Glow Worms" was included on her debut album, which got very little attention until decades later when it found a following. She didn't release another album until 2005.

"Reflecting Light" first appeared on the 2020 Avalanches album We Will Always Love You, and the following year showed up on Sananda Maitreya's album Pandora's PlayHouse.