French indie-pop outfit Phoenix have released their sixth studio album Ti Amo. The project, their first since 2013’s Bankrupt!, represents a shift from previous guitar-pop to a more expansive electronic sound rooted in synth grooves and disco beats. Notably, the album has been promoted as a musical tour of Italy, with mentions to both fior de latte gelato and the famous Romany street Via Veneto. In an interview given to Billboard, the band explained that the country serves as a ‘fantasy land’ which enabled the band to imagine a lighter and more abstract sound.
Ti Amo’s upbeat sound belies the context in which it was created; according to an interview with the New York Times, the album ‘came out of darkness’, following a series of devastating period of European political and social tension which included multiple terrorist attacks. The project appears ever more personal when considering that lead guitarist Christian Mazzalai found himself trapped in a recording studio after police officials issued a citywide shutdown following the Paris Bataclan attack.
Despite the sombre context of the project, critics have been quick to praise the upbeat and joyful nature of the album which moves beyond its lyrical roots as a protest anthem. Reviews from the A.V Club argue that although the album at times feels ‘personal and deep’, its soft-rock melodies and European dance club aesthetic lead to an overall effortless and bright sound. Variety have heralded the project as a ‘grandiose pop confection’ which represent Phoenix’s shift to more elaborate songwriting and production. The lead single from the project, J-Boy, can be viewed below:
Meanwhile, the group have announced a full tour as well as a series of festival dates in support of the album. The tour will cover North America, Canada and Europe and will also include stops at Shaky Knees Festival, Governor’s Ball and Bilbao BBK Live. The full dates are listed below:
05-12 Miami, FL – Filmore
05-13 Orlando, FL – House of Blues
05-14 Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees Festival
05-15 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
06-02 Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
06-03 New York, NY – Governor’s Ball
06-04 Toronto, Ontario – Field Trip
06-05 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
06-07 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks
06-11 San Diego, CA – 91x Valley View Casino Center
06-13 Phoenix, AZ – Marquee Theater
06-14 Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
06-15 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
06-29 Vilanova I la Geltrú, Spain – Vida Festival
06-30 Coulau, France – Garorock Festival
07-06 Lisbon, Portugal – NOS Alive
07-07 Bilbao, Spain – Bilbao BBK Live
07-08 Hérouville-Saint-Clair, France – Festival Beauregard
07-09 Belfort, France – Les Eurockeenes
07-13 Aix-Les-Bains, France – Festival Musilac
07-14 Carhaix-Plouguer, France – Festival les Vieilles Charrues
07-12-16 Dour, Belgium – Dour Festival
07-14-16 Berlin, Germany – Melt! Festival
07-20-22 Wiesen, Austria – Out of the Woods
07-22 Rome, Italy – Rock in Roma
08-11-12 Bali, Indonesia – Sunny Side Up Festival
08-11-13 Jakarta, Indonesia – We The Fest
08-15 Manila, Philippines – Araneta Coliseum
08-18-20 Osaka, Japan – Summersonic Festival
08-18-20 Tokyo, Japan – Summersonic Festival
09-02 Dublin, Ireland – Electric Picnic
09-29 Paris, France – AccorHotels Arena
09-30 London, England – Alexandra Palace
In other news, the band are scheduled to mark the release of their album with an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! tomorrow evening; the show, featuring guests Diane Keaton and Lonzo Ball, will be aired at 11:35pm (ET) on ABC and will mark their second late-night appearance of the year following their appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show in May.
