Ahead of the release of their 4^th studio album The Dream, Leeds’ own indie-rock darlings Alt-J have teased another taste of the album in the form of a new single due tomorrow (January 5^th) “Hard Drive Gold”. Set for release on February 11^th the album will feature this new single, as well as previously released tracks “U&ME” and “Get Better”.

Hard Drive Gold
Wednesday
Pre-save at https://t.co/v0qNNT3PkY pic.twitter.com/bUJhRJoxxp

— Δ (alt-J) (@alt_J) January 3, 2022

In a statement released around the announcement of the album the band claim their new album shows, “both beauty and darkness […] often seamlessly merging on the same track, a purposeful choice that pays dividends across the record” and will feature, “true-crime inspired stories and tales of Hollywood and the Chateau Marmont [as well as some of the bands] most personal moments to-date”. You can pre-order the album, in one (or several) of its many formats here. You can also enter a draw to win “a totally one-off Larrivee P-O5 acoustic guitar, signed by lyricist Joe and covered in his handwritten lyrics for Get Better.” Tickets cost £5.00 with all proceeds going to Plan International, “a global children’s charity working to create lasting equality for girls and protect the rights of all children.” Hear the recent single, and the song behind these handwritten lyrics below.

Accompanying the new album comes the bands recently expanded UK tour. Due to significant demand, extra dates were added to shows at London’s O2 Academy Brixton, and Dublin’s Olympia Theatre. See here for full ticket information.

Regarding the dangers of touring in today’s day and age; the band’s drummer, Thom Green, explained how the group will have to “be extra vigilant,” in an interview with the BBC. “Whatever we have to do, that’s what we’ll do, because it’ll be so worth it just to get on stage again.” This must mean a lot coming from Green after he, like millions of others, has spent a large portion of the pandemic shielding due to a rare condition causing him to have a kidney operation as a student. Then upon contracting COVID-19 in the summer Green spent a week in the hospital, “I’m actually fortunate that I’m ok and I’m back to normal, but I don’t want that to happen again.”

See below Alt-J’s planned UK tour:

7/5/22 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow
9/5 – O2 Academy – Leeds
13/5 – O2 Apollo – Manchester
18/5 – O2 Academy Brixton – London
19/5 – O2 Academy Brixton – London
22/5 – Olympia Theatre – Dublin
23/5 – Olympia Theatre – Dublin
25/5 – The Telegraph Building – Belfast
27/5 – O2 Academy – Birmingham