Steve Hackett / The Circus and the Nightwhale

Steve Hackett will release his new studio album, The Circus and the Nightwhale, in February this year. The record, which is the former Genesis guitarist’s 30th solo release, is described as a “rite of passage concept album” about a young character called Travla.

It features 13 tracks, which are all said to have an autobiographical angle and to have been influenced by music from around the world. Talking about the album, which was largely recorded between tours in 2022 and 2023 at Siren, a studio in the UK, Hackett says: “I love this album. It says the things I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time.” He adds: “It’s a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?”. You can preview, People of the Smoke, below.

Alongside Hackett, who plays electric and acoustic guitars, 12-string, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, bass and vocals, The Circus and the Nightwhale features Roger King (keyboards, programming and
orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Craig Blundell (drums) and Amanda Lehmann on vocals. Nick D’Virgilio and Hugo Degenhardt play drums, engineer Benedict Fenner appears on keyboards, Malik Mansurov is on the tar – a lute-like instrument – and Hackett’s brother, John, provides flute.

The album, which includes ballads, blues, “blistering prog rock” and, er, “healthy measures of theatre and fantasia” will be available as a limited edition CD+Blu-ray media book, including 5.1 Surround Sound (no Atmos) and a hi-res stereo mix. A gatefold 180g vinyl LP with an eight-page booklet and standard jewel case editions are also available

The Circus and the Nightwhale is released on 16 February via InsideOut Music.

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Steve Hackett

The Circus and the Nightwhale - CD+blu-ray mediabook

Shop Price gbp Stock Amazon uk   18.39 Order Amazon de   22.93 Order Amazon usa   20.94 Order Amazon fr   22.85 Order Amazon it   25.99 Order Amazon es   24.6 Order Amazon ca   31 Order JPC de   24.99 Order FNAC fr   22.99 Pre-Order Rough Trade uk   17.99 pre-order

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Compare prices and pre-order

Steve Hackett

The Circus and the Nightwhale - vinyl LP

Shop Price gbp Stock Amazon uk   20.96 Order Amazon de   26.75 Order Amazon usa   27.51 Order Amazon fr   25.99 Order Amazon it   24.29 Order Amazon es   27.4 Order Amazon ca   44.97 Order JPC de   29.99 Order FNAC fr   25.99 Pre-Order Rough Trade uk   27.99 red vinyl

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Tracklisting

The Circus and the Nightwhale Steve Hackett /

• CD+blu-ray
  • CD
    1. People of the Smoke
    2. These Passing Clouds
    3. Taking You Down
    4. Found and Lost
    5. Enter The Ring
    6. Get Me Out
    7. Ghost Moon and Living Love
    8. Circo Inferno
    9. Breakout
    10. All At Sea
    11. Into The Nightwhale
    12. Wherever You Are
    13. White Dove
  • Blu-ray

    The whole album in 5.1 surround sound and hi-res stereo

    1. People of the Smoke
    2. These Passing Clouds
    3. Taking You Down
    4. Found and Lost
    5. Enter The Ring
    6. Get Me Out
    7. Ghost Moon and Living Love
    8. Circo Inferno
    9. Breakout
    10. All At Sea
    11. Into The Nightwhale
    12. Wherever You Are
    13. White Dove
• Vinyl LP

  • Side 1

    1. People of the Smoke
    2. These Passing Clouds
    3. Taking You Down
    4. Found and Lost
    5. Enter The Ring
    6. Get Me Out

    Side 2

    1. Ghost Moon and Living Love
    2. Circo Inferno
    3. Breakout
    4. All At Sea
    5. Into The Nightwhale
    6. Wherever You Are
    7. White Dove