Stormzy announces new album ‘This Is What I Mean’
Stormzy has shared details of his highly anticipated third album, ‘This Is What I Mean’, set for global release next month.
Returning to social media after almost three years, Stormzy shared the new album’s artwork on Instagram today (October 12), depicting a letter sat on a doorstep with the album title printed on it.
Described as “an intimate love letter to music” in a press statement and largely created at a “Stormzy music camp” in Osea Island, Stormzy spoke about praying every morning during the genesis of the new record.
“When you hear about music camps they always sound intense and sombre,” Stormzy explained of how the new album came together. “People saying: ‘We need to make an album.’ ‘We need to make some hit records.’ But this felt beautifully free. We’re all musicians but we weren’t always doing music. Some days we played football or walked around taking pictures. And the bi-product to that was very beautiful music.
“Because when you marry that ethos with world class musicians and the best producers, writers and artists in the world, and we’re in one space, that’s a recipe for something that no one can really imagine. You can’t even calculate what that’s going to come up with. And it came up with a big chunk of this album.”
‘This Is What I Mean’ will be released globally on November 25 via 0207 Def Jam, and is available to pre-order here.
‘THIS IS WHAT I MEAN’ TRACK-LISTING:
1. ‘Fire + Water’
2. ‘This Is What I Mean’
3. ‘FireBabe’
4. ‘Please’
5. ‘Need You’
6. ‘Hide & Seek’
7. ‘My Presidents Are Black’
8. ‘Sampha’s Plea’
9. ‘Holy Spirit’
10. ‘Bad Blood’
11. ‘I Got My Smile Back’
12. ‘Give It To The Water’
Last month (September 23), Stormzy shared his first solo outing in almost three years, ‘Mel Made Me Do It’, featuring a guest verse from Stylo G and a striking monologue by Wretch 32 (narrated by actress Michaela Coel).
The track arrived alongside an 11-minute music video directed by KLVDR, fusing multiple storylines and showcasing over 35 cameos. Among those include the likes of Jose Mourinho, Dave, Headie One, Little Simz, Louie Theroux, Malorie Blackman and Usain Bolt.
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Matthew Neale
NME
