Angelo De Augustine returns with Angel in Plainclothes, a deeply personal record shaped by a long period of illness and recovery. Across songs such as Empty Shell, Spirit of the Unknown and Mirror Mirror, he reflects on fragility, identity and the sense of beginning again after being forced to relearn the basics of daily life. Written, recorded, arranged, produced and mixed at his Southern California studio, A Secret Place, the album captures De Augustine’s gift for melody and plainspoken lyricism. For the first time in years, he opens the door to collaborators, including string arranger Oliver Hill, harpist Leng Bian, vocalist and percussionist Wendy Fraser, producer Thomas Bartlett and co-producer Jonathan Wilson on The Cure. The result is a quietly resolute collection rooted in gratitude and perseverance — songs that look toward second chances and the possibility that things may yet turn out alright.