Tiny Mix Tapes

Godspeed You! Black Emperor announce first new album in a decade; god bless us, every one

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God bless you, Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The calendar turned red this year with a menacing 2012 staring down each month, and though for some musicians it signified a final chance to douse the internet in apocalyptic half-bakes and leftovers, for others it was a multi-trumpeted awakening call and challenge. Scott Walker just rose from a six-year slumber with machetes in hand to address the present moment, and now dark horse unit Godspeed You! Black Emperor have snuck out a timely and SUDDEN follow-up to Yanqui U.X.O. (released via Constellation Records a full 10 years ago, itself two years removed from their defining 2000 double-album Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven).

ALLELUJAH! DON’T BEND! ASCEND! has an official release date of October 19 October 16 (15 in Europe) on Constellation, but apparently the album is already pressed — on 180g vinyl in a tip-on gatefold jacket plus bonus 7-inch plus 12” x 48” pull-out poster! — and being sold on their tour, currently in progress. More details, including a preorder link, are coming very soon. 12 AM EST, to be exact.

In the decade-long wait between Yanqui and ALLELUJAH!, Constellation has been doing a fine job releasing maximal sounds by maximal artists (see: Colin Stetson and Matana Roberts), but it’s still exciting to imagine new material from the dudes behind that chilling opening narration on 1997’s F♯ A♯ ∞ (and everything that came after). GY!BE have been demonstrating their monolithic power on a few brief tours following a 2010 ATP live reformation (most recently announcing a few dates in Australia), but total studio recording snippets have been zerø until now. Oh to be in Boston tonight…

[UPDATE: Constellation is now taking preorders.]

ALLELUJAH! DON’T BEND! ASCEND! tracklist:

01. MLADIC
02. THEIR HELICOPTERS’ SING
03. WE DRIFT LIKE WORRIED FIRE
04. STRUNG LIKE LIGHTS AT THEE PRINTEMPS ERABLE

• Godspeed You! Black Emperor: http://www.brainwashed.com/godspeed/main.html
• Constellation: http://cstrecords.com