Unknown Mortal Orchestra have announced that they will release a new album, titled ‘V’, next month. They will also be in the UK for tour dates in May.
The album was several years in the making, Ruban Nielson having begun work on a new set of tracks with his brother Kody in the early days of the pandemic.
But when an uncle in Hawaii fell ill, he, his mother and another uncle moved over there to care for him. When he returned to California to record again, he found that his outlook on the sound of the record had fundamentally changed.
“In Hawaii, everything shifted off of me and my music”, Nielson explains. “Suddenly, I was spending more time figuring out what others need and what my role is within my family. I also learned that things I thought were true of myself are bigger than I thought. My way of making mischief - that’s not just me - that’s my whole Polynesian side. I thought I was walking away from music to focus on family, but the two ended up connecting”.
‘V’ is set for release on 17 Mar. First single ‘Layla’ is out now. Watch the video for that here:
The band will arrive for UK shows in May. Here are the dates:
30 May: Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion
31 May: London, Brixton Academy
15 Jun: Manchester, Albert Hall
16 Jun: Leeds, Stylus
17 Jun: Glasgow, SWG3 Galvanizers