Dev Hynes has announced a new Blood Orange album titled Negro Swan. The record will be his fourth and follows 2016’s Freetown Sound. “My newest album is an exploration into my own and many types of black depression, an honest look at the corners of black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of color,” Hynes said in a statement. “A reach back into childhood and modern traumas, and the things we do to get through it all. The underlying thread through each piece on the album is the idea of hope, and the lights we can try to turn on within ourselves with a hopefully positive outcome of helping others out of their darkness.” Negro Swan is out August 24 via Domino. Blood Orange will be in Seattle on Saturday, September 15 to play the Moore Theatre. [ Pitchfork ]
Death Cab for Cutie have shared the second single from their forthcoming album, Thank You For Today. Called “I Dreamt We Spoke Again,” the yearning track tells the story of dreaming of an ex (fingers crossed it’s about Zooey Deschanel). The single follows last month’s “Gold Rush.” Thank You For Today is out August 17 via Atlantic. It’s DCFC’s ninth album and first without founding member Chris Walla. [ Consequence of Sound ]
Scottish indie quartet We Were Promised Jetpacks have announced their fourth studio album, The More I Sleep the Less I Dream. Due for release on September 14, the album follows 2014’s Unraveling. They’ve also shared the album’s lead single, “Hanging In.” The band says of the song: “‘Hanging In’ was the last song we wrote for the album, and once we finished it we knew we were ready. Thematically, it pulls the rest of the album together so it makes sense for it to be the first single, and the first song people hear.” The album was produced by Jonathan Low (The National, Frightened Rabbit, Kurt Vile), and the first single is “Hanging In,” which premieres in this post. [ BrooklynVegan ]
The trailer for the long-awaited documentary on musician and activist M.I.A. has been unveiled. Titled MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A., the doc follows her rise to fame and will hit US theaters on September 28. Directed by Steve Loveridge, the film features archival footage over the last 22 years, including personal videos. MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and won the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award. [ SPIN ]
Fleet Foxes have shared a video for “If You Need To, Keep Time on Me,” off of last year’s Crack-Up. Described as a short film, the video was directed and choreographed by Ryan Heffington. "It was the pure honesty of the music and Robin Pecknold's voice that originally drew me to direct/choreograph 'If You Need To, Keep Time on Me,'” says Heffington. “Heartbreak being one of the most honest and visceral symptoms of love, I wanted to paint a realistic picture of humanity and share a story that so many of us have encountered. Using dance as an offering has defined my adult life and I believe in its healing power-for both the dancer and the witness. I wanted to capture this in the film, whether it is seen as surreal or organic." [ Under the Radar ]
Cat Power announces first album in six years, Frankie Cosmos shares a new video, and new music from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, Animal Collective, and D.R.A.M.
Minus the Bear announce break up and final EP plus new music from Wild Nothing, Waxahatchee, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and The Hold Steady plus Alt-J get a remix from Alchemist and Trooko featuring Danny Brown.
New music from Animal Collective and The Love Language, Father John Misty and Bully share new videos, and Snail Mail and Waxahatchee team up to cover Sheryl Crow.
