London indie rockers Wolf Alice have returned in style this week with a statement new single, The Last Man on Earth. The sweeping epic – which flows from an understated, pian0-led section into a resounding, rousing wall of anthemic choral melody – is the first track released from the band’s upcoming third album Blue Weekend, due out on 11th June.

Ellie Rowsell’s stunning vocal adds emotional intensity to poignant lyrics which seem to reflect a grapple with notions of spirituality: “Who are you to ask for anything else?/ The thing you should be asking is for help/ You’d like a light to shine on you.” In a press statement released alongside the new track, Rowsell said “It’s about the arrogance of humans. I’d just read Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘Cat’s Cradle’ and I had written the line “Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from god” in my notes. But then I thought: “Uh, your peculiar travel suggestion isn’t a dancing lesson from god, it’s just a travel suggestion! Why does everything need to mean something more?”

Early reaction to the new single has been universally positive. In a five-star review, NME hailed the song as a “majestic change of pace” for the band; adding “If ‘The Last Man On Earth’ is even just a hint at the greatness to come on their third album, ‘Blue Weekend’ should propel them to the level of major festival headliners and arena conquerors with ease.” Meanwhile, Welsh rock titans Manic Street Preachers, who Wolf Alice supported on tour in 2014, tweeted: “Love this song-love the tune-love the words-love the band.”

Blue Weekend will arrive four years on from Wolf Alice’s last LP, Visions of a Life. That record was a commercial and critical success, reaching number #2 in the Official UK Albums Chart and winning the Mercury Prize; seeing off a crowded shortlist which included the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen and Jorja Smith. The album spawned a whopping seven singles, including the band’s highest charting track in the UK to date in Don’t Delete The Kisses.

Earlier this month the group voiced their support for the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)’s call on the UK Government to renew the Music Export Growth Scheme and work with the music industry to help promote UK artists overseas. A statement from Wolf Alice read: “The global reach of British music gives us the ability to connect with fans all around the world, and the support that we had from the Music Export Growth Scheme early in our career was critical in us breaking through in key markets such as the USA. With streaming now growing fast even in emerging markets, we hope that other new British artists will receive similar support, so that British music can make even more of an international impact.”

The track listing for Blue Weekend has also been confirmed this week as follows:

1. The Beach
2. Delicious Things
3. Lipstick On The Glass
4. Smile
5. Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love)
6. How Can I Make It OK?
7. Play The Greatest Hits
8. Feeling Myself
9. The Last Man On Earth
10. No Hard Feelings
11. The Beach II