Unknown Mortal Orchestra announce new album ‘V’, share single ‘Layla’

7 February, 2023

Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Ruban Nielson

Unknown Mortal Orchestra have announced their sixth studio album ‘V’ – listen to new single ‘Layla’ below.

The double record is due for release on March 17 via Jagjaguwar – you can pre-order/pre-save it here.

Following on from 2018’s ‘IC-01 Hanoi’, the forthcoming project is described as “the definitive Unknown Mortal Orchestra record”. The group’s leader Ruban Nielson had been inspired by “West Coast AOR, classic hits, weirdo pop and Hawaiian Hapa-haole music” while making ‘V’ in Palm Springs, California, and Hilo, Hawaii.

Ruban’s brother and bandmate Kody Nielson flew from New Zealand to Palm Springs during the early days of the COVID pandemic to help him with his recordings. However, Ruban then had to travel to Hawaii when one of his uncles fell ill.

After the pair reunited at a cousin’s wedding in Hawaii, the brothers returned to Palm Springs to complete the LP.

“In Hawaii, everything shifted off of me and my music,” Ruban explained in a press release. “Suddenly, I was spending more time figuring out what others need and what my role is within my family.

“I also learned that things I thought were true of myself are bigger than I thought. My way of making mischief – that’s not just me – that’s my whole Polynesian side. I thought I was walking away from music to focus on family, but the two ended up connecting.”

New single ‘Layla’ (listen above) will feature on ‘V’ alongside the 2022 song ‘I Killed Captain Cook’. Other cuts include ‘The Garden’, ‘In The Rear View’, ‘Weekend Run’ and ‘Drag’ – check out the tracklist below.

1. ‘The Garden’
2. ‘Guilty Pleasures’
3. ‘Meshuggah’
4. ‘The Widow’
5. ‘In The Rear View’
6. ‘That Life’
7. ‘Layla’
8. ‘Shin Ramyun’
9. ‘Weekend Run’
10. ‘The Beach’
11. ‘Nadja’
12. ‘Keaukaha’
13. ‘I Killed Captain Cook’
14. ‘Drag’

Unknown Mortal Orchestra are set to play a string of UK shows this May/June following dates in North America. You can find any remaining tickets here (UK) and here (North America).

The band’s 2023 UK schedule is as follows:

MAY
30 – De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill
31 – O2 Academy Brixton, London

JUNE
15 – Albert Hall, Manchester
16 – Stylus, Leeds
17 – SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow

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