Damon Albarn has released his new single “The Tower Of Montevideo”. The track is the third release to be taken from Albarn’s upcoming album, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows. The new single is inspired by the 1920s landmark, Palacio Salvo, located in Uruguay. The track is a love letter from the Blur frontman to South America.
The single’s press release describes Albarn’s connection to the country, “it explores Albarn’s melancholic wonder at this part of South America, where Rio De La Plata meets the South Atlantic, a place he has described as both “familiar and utterly otherworldly.””
The 53-year-old artist took to Twitter to post a behind the scenes video that explores the track’s inspiration.
The inspiration behind new track, The Tower of Montevideo. Taken from the new album, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows. Pre-order today: https://t.co/2L231hE8qW pic.twitter.com/30nPQrul67
— Damon Albarn (@Damonalbarn) October 15, 2021
Released via Transgressive Records, a new music video accompanied the single’s release. The video begins with credits, cementing its cinematic appeal, and has been filmed in black and white. The simple yet striking video features Albarn on the piano backed by a full live orchestra. It was announced this summer that Albarn would be releasing a film series ahead of his forthcoming album. The series entitled “Sublime Boulevards – Performance Films” has been directed by Toby L, founder of the label Transgressive Records. The new single’s video is the third instalment of the series. The first two instalments to be released from the series included singles “The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows” the album’s title track and “Polaris”.
Albarn’s upcoming album, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows, is set to be released on 12th November 2021. The singer’s new material is a creative response to the landscapes of Iceland and was originally meant as an orchestral piece. During the lockdown of 2020, Albarn had time to focus on his solo career and began to work on his new 11 track release. According to a press release the new album’s musical themes includes explorations of “fragility, loss, emergence and rebirth” and is a “panoramic collection of songs with Albarn as storyteller”.
The press statement has given the following statement concerning the new album, “In a career of perpetual musical shifts and exploration, the record uncovers more ground, finding expansive orchestral arrangements nestling with intimate melodies, discordance brushing up against infectious majesty, all set to some of Albarn’s most arresting vocal performances to date. Much like the beauty and chaos of the natural world it soundtracks, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows vividly documents the emotional ebb and flow of the human condition, in all its extremes, serving as a soul enriching document for our times.”
The Brit-Pop icon’s new album will be available in various formats including both digital and physical configurations. A super deluxe edition of the new release will feature photos, lyrical content and artwork by Albarn included within a casebound book. The super deluxe release will also include the album on white vinyl with digital files and an additional 7’’ which boasts an exclusive track from the album’s recording process. Fans will also be able to purchase the album on limited edition vinyl, CD and cassette. The CD release will include a 20-minute hidden track entitled “Huldufólk”, the special inclusion incorporates the musical themes heard within the album.
Fans will have to wait until next year to hear the singer’s new material, Albarn will embark on his UK and European tour next February. The tour consists of 14 performances, with two dates in London and Dublin.
Damon Albarn UK Tour Dates
21/02/2022 – Barbican – London
22/02 – Barbian – London
23/02 – National Concert Hall – Dublin
24/02 – National Concert Hall – Dublin
Click here to pre-order The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows.
Click here to purchase tickets.
