NewsThe The / Ensoulment
First studio album in 24 years
This September, The The will release Ensoulment, their first studio album for almost 25 years.
Encompassing characteristic topics ranging from love & sex, war & politics, life & death – to “the meaning of what it is to be human in the 21st century” – Ensoulment was written, demoed and mixed at Studio Cinéola in London, the base of the band’s frontman and creative force, Matt Johnson.
The songs were later refined in rehearsals ahead of a six-day session at Real World Studios near Bath, where Matt was joined by long-standing band members James Eller (bass), DC Collard (keyboards), Earl Harvin (drums), and Barrie Cadogan (lead guitar). The album has been co-produced by Warne Livesey, who previously worked on Infected (1986) and Mind Bomb (1989).
Ensoulment features some of Matt Johnson’s late brother Andrew (AKA Andy Dog)’s artwork, both on the front cover and in the booklets for vinyl and CD, maintaining the distinctive visual language of the past.
The The’s last proper album was 2000’s NakedSelf. Since then Matt has concentrated on soundtrack work. In 2021 the band toured for the first time in decades, resulting in The Comeback Special album/box set (unboxed here) which was filmed/recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. SDE was there and our review is here.
Ensoulment is a 12-track album and is available as a hardcover media book CD set with 32-page booklet (no bonus tracks). There’s also a jewel case version. On vinyl, this is a 2LP set with black and indie ‘crystal clear’ vinyl options available. All vinyl editions come with a large format 32-page booklet to show off Andy Dog’s art.
The first single from the album is ‘Cognitive Dissident’, which you can preview above. Ensoulment will be released on 6 September 2024 via EarMusic.
Compare prices and pre-order
THE THE
deluxe hardcover media book CD edition
Compare prices and pre-order
THE THE
Ensoulment - 2LP set
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Compare prices and pre-order
THE THE
Ensoulment - standard CD edition
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tracklisting
Ensoulment The The /
-
-
- Cognitive Dissident
- Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave Of William Blake
- Zen & The Art Of Dating
- Kissing The Ring Of POTUS
- Life After Life
- I Want To Wake Up With You
- Down By The Frozen River
- Risin’ Above The Need
- Linoleum Smooth To The Stockinged Foot
- Where Do We Go When We Die?
- I Hope You Remember (The Things I can’t forget)
- A Rainy Day In May
-
SuperDeluxeEdition.com helps fans around the world discover physical music and discuss releases. To keep the site free, SDE participates in various affiliate programs, including Amazon and earns from qualifying purchases.
Interview
By Paul Sinclair
16