For more than 30 years now, we at Sub Pop Records have strived to be a dependable source of excellent, exciting and important music and also, sometimes, when it all comes together, cultural change. It’s true what they say: we like to party. And our ability to participate in any of that is reliant upon a giant, interwoven community of artists and the people and organizations that support them. Right now, many of the people and communities in our world are being hit hard by the spread of, and wholly necessary response to, COVID-19.
You have seen this happening, we know. Artists are forced to cancel tours, venues can’t have shows, festivals are canceled or postponed. Musicians, record stores, production companies, tour crews, venue staff, booking agents, and so many other people working in our industry are losing jobs and opportunities, and there’s no telling what will happen next.
In an effort to keep our customers and staff safe and healthy, we decided to temporarily close the Sub Pop Airport Store at Sea-Tac, starting now. It will remain closed through at least the end of March. We’ll reassess after that. And please trust that we’ll be back at it as soon as we’re able. As of now, we are still shipping records, t-shirts and the like from our Seattle warehouse to mail order customers and record stores.
The world feels completely upside-down right now. More than ever, and right in the face of that, we remain dedicated to all of the artists on Sub Pop and Hardly Art whom we are so profoundly fortunate to work with. And, it seems absolutely vital to recognize that the music these artists create has the power to hold us upright and together, especially during unsteady, isolating times like these. This is important.
We may not be able to come together in a way that feels normal or familiar, but we are always connected to each other through music and art. Lean on that, hard! And do what you can to support the community of artists/musicians/beautiful losers/misfits/etc to which you belong. Please be safe, please help each other, and let’s all celebrate in person, together, when we get through this.
On the star-drenched streets of the Quartz City, the Dancer and the Don float the red beamer towards the diamondest dreams ever known in Shabazz Palaces new video for “Fast Learner (ft. Purple Tape Nate),” the lead single from his forthcoming album, The Don of Diamond Dreams. The visual from director Stephan Gray (“Dawn In Luxor,” “Deesse Du Sang”) stars Ishmael Butler and Umaara Elliott, a New York-based professional dancer and an activist (a co-organizer of “Millions March NYC”).
Released earlier this month, the “Fast Learner” single saw praise from the likes of Hip Hop DX, who called the track “another futuristic trip.” The FADER concurred, offering this, “It’s a psychedelic groove, chopped and screwed in the fifth dimension.” Meanwhile, Hypebeast had this to say, “a perfect reintroduction to the duo’s Afrofuturistic groove — hazy lo-fi electronica mashes alongside funky instrumentation, allowing for both Ishmael and Nate to rap out their lyrical abstractions.” And Stereogum says, “A woozy and echo-laden lurch that the group recorded with the excellently named Purple Tape Nate…It’s a cool piece of music, a starry-eyed vibe-out, and it’s a strong indicator for how the rest of the album might sound…The track draws stylistic connections between rumbling ’80s electro, broken-up Brainfeeder beat music, and circa-now astral Auto-Tuned drug rap.”
Shabazz Palaces The Don of Diamond Dreams will be available April 17th, 2020 worldwide on Sub Pop. The 10-track album includes the highlights features “Chocolate Souffle,” “Bad Bitch Walking (ft. Stas THEE Boss),” “Thanking The Girls,” and the aforementioned “Fast Learner,” with additional contributions from singer/keyboardist Darrius Willrich, percussionist Carlos Niño, Knife Knights collaborator OCnotes, saxophonist Carlos Overall, and bassist Evan Flory-Barnes.
The Don of Diamond Dreams is now available for preorder from Sub Pop. Preorders of the LP through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers in North America will receive the limited Loser edition on clear vinyl with a silver swirl (while supplies last). All LP preorders through the Sub Pop Mega Mart will also receive The Mushroom, a 90-page, 8x8 inch zine from the elusive author TTT, inspired by The Don of Diamond Dreams (the book will also be available for purchase at Shabazz Palaces live shows). Meanwhile, LP preorders through select independent retailers in the U.K. and Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on sky blue vinyl (also, while supplies last). There will also be a new T-shirt design available.
The 20-city international tour, which will include stops in the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, the U.S., and Canada, begins April 16th in London and currently ends May 22nd in Chicago at Bottom Lounge. Festival highlights include an appearance at Ableton Loop 2020 in Berlin, DE April 24th-26th, Motel Mazique Festival in Rotterdam, NL on April 18th, and Donaufestival in Krems, DE on May 2nd. Additionally, support for the North American tour dates (May 7th-22nd) will come from Sub Pop labelmates Cartel Madras.
A special fan presale for the North American shows begin Wednesday, March 11th at 10 am (local), with tickets on sale to the general public Friday, March 13th at 10 am (local). The U.K./European shows are on sale now. For up to date information on tickets, please visit Clipping’s official website.
Apr. 16 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall Apr. 17 - Brighton, UK - The Arch Apr. 18 - Rotterdam, NL - Motel Mazique Festival Apr. 20 - Lille, FR - L’Aeronoef Apr. 21 - Paris, FR - Badaboum Apr. 22 - Brussels, BE - Beursshouwburg Apr. 24 - Berlin, DE - Ableton Loop 2020 Apr. 25 - Berlin, DE - Ableton Loop 2020 Apr. 26 - Berlin, DE - Ableton Loop 2020 Apr. 28 - Hamburg, DE - Hafenklang Apr. 29 - Wiesbaden, DE - Schlachtnof May 01 - Munich, DE - Rote Sonne May 02 - Krems, DE - Donaufestival May 07 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echoplex * May 08 - Berkeley, CA - Cornerstone * May 10 - Portland, OR - Star Theatre * May 11 - Seattle, WA - Neumos * May 15 - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz * May 16 - Toronto, ON - Adelaide Hall * May 17 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts * May 19 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg * May 20 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall * May 22 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge *
* w/ Cartel Madras
Clipping’s There Existed an Addiction to Blood earned placement on “Best Albums of 2019” lists from the likes of The Wire, The Needledrop, Passion of the Weiss, PopMatters (albums + best hip-hop), Treble Zine, The Line of Best Fit, Loud & Quiet, Genius, RIFF Magazine, Sputnikmusic, and more. Pop Matters says of the record, “Apocalyptic, claustrophobic, with danger in the air (“Nothing Is Safe”); in other words, reminiscent of our current moment in US history. Horror movie themes float amidst the background, but this is hip-hop, riddled with allusions to classics of the past while living in a now setting of vampires, zombies, and ghosts. (#7, “The 20 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2019”). Meanwhile, Treble Zine offers this, “There Existed an Addiction to Blood turns to horror as its conduit for dealing out home truths. Daveed Diggs remains in the highest tier of contemporary MCs in America, taking obvious joy from spinning between frisky, tongue-in-cheek junk culture references and cold, compact sucker punches of truth (#18 / “50 Best Albums of the Year”).”
There Existed an Addiction to Blood, which features the singles “Nothing Is Safe,”“La Mala Ordina,”“All in Your Head,” and “Blood of the Fang,” was produced by Clipping, mixed by Steve Kaplan, and mastered by Dave Cooley at Elysium Masters in Los Angeles. The album also features appearances from Ed Balloon, Benny the Butcher, Elcamino, La Chat, The Rita, and Pedestrian Deposit, and a composition from Andrea Lockwood.
On Record Store Day (April 18th), Clipping will also release Double Live, a collaboration with composer Christopher Fleeger, available in a stunning industrial double-picture-disc package. This is not a standard live album. All the audio was recorded during Clipping’s 2017 tour, but the microphones weren’t pointed at the band. Instead they were in toilets, taped to ceiling pipes, tied to trees, worn by roadies—hidden all over venues. The results were then synchronized and edited over more than a year. Double Live is an impossible performance heard by hundreds of disembodied ears—part live album, part tour document, part musique concrète piece.
U.S. shows April 24th-May 22nd, 2020. Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between isout May 1st worldwide from Sub Pop.
Man Man is announcing the first U.S. dates in support of Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, his forthcoming new album and Sub Pop debut. The 18-date, late-spring tour now begins April 24th in Salt Lake City at Metro Music Hall and currently ends May 22nd in Los Angeles at The Roxy. The trek will include stops in Denver (CO), St. Louis (MO), Cincinnati (OH), Louisville (KY), Indianapolis (IN), Pittsburgh (PA), Asheville (NC), Durham (NC), Charlotte (NC), Baton Rouge (LA), Houston (TX), Austin (TX), Dallas (TX), Norman (OK), Albuquerque (NM), Phoenix (AZ), and San Diego (CA). Tickets for these shows are on sale now and links are here. There will be additional live dates soon.
Apr. 24 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall [NEW DATE] Apr. 26 - Denver, CO - Bluebird [NEW DATE] Apr. 28 - St Louis, MO - Old Rock House Apr. 29 - Cincinnati, OH - Urban Artifact Brewery May 01 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar May 02 - Indianapolis, IN - HiFi May 03 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Café May 05 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle May 06 - Durham, NC - Motorco May 07 - Charlotte, NC - Amos Southend May 09 - Baton Rouge, LA - Mid City Ballroom [NEW VENUE] May 10 - Houston, TX - Continental Club May 12 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk May 13 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada May 15 - Norman, OK - Opolis May 16 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister Bar May 17 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom May 21 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah May 22 - Los Angeles, CA - Roxy
“Cloud Nein,” the first offering from Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, is earning praise for its ebullient, melancholic pop. Consequence of Sound says the track “is the perfect Man Man comeback song. It’s got everything we’ve been missing in the band’s absence: simple horn slides, parade-like percussion, fantastical vocal harmonies, and an undeniably catchy chorus. It also marks the return of frontman Honus Honus’ life lessons veiled under theatrical delivery.” Brooklyn Vegan called the lyric video “joyous” and noted the track for its “70s style pop.” And Rolling Stone offered this, “despite the characteristic negativity of the song, the music belies its darker side, finding Kattner wailing on the chipper-sounding chorus.”
Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between is now available for preorder from Sub Pop. LP preorders through megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited Loser edition on white vinyl with a pinkish swirl (while supplies last). After street date a limited supply of the Loser edition LP will be available at select independent retailers in North America and at Man Man’s live shows. Meanwhile, in the U.K. and Europe, preorders through select independent retailers will receive the limited Loser edition on pink vinyl (also, while supplies last). There is also a new T-shirt design available through megamart.subpop.com.
The Homesick has extended its international touring schedule for 2020 in support of The Big Exercise out now on Sub Pop. The dates, which resume tonight, March 4th in Oberhausen, Germany at Gdanska, now runs through August 25th in Washington, DC at DC9. Highlights for this announcement include new EU/UK dates from April 13th through June 13th and The Homesick’s first-ever North American tour, July 30th through August 25th. Ticket links are here.
Mar. 04 - Oberhausen, DE - Gdanska Mar. 05 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Mar. 06 - Rotterdam, NL - WORM Mar. 07 - Utrecht, NL - EKKO Apr. 18 - Genk, BE - Little Waves Festival Apr. 19 - London, UK - Shacklewell Arms Apr. 20 - Liverpool, UK - Shipping Forecast Apr. 21 - Leeds, UK - Oporto Apr. 22 - Brighton, UK - Prince Albert Apr. 25 - Esch-sur-Alzette, LU - Out of the Crowd Festival Apr. 26 - Offenbach, DE - Hafen 2 May 02 - Paris, FR - Supersonic Jun. 13 - Hilvarenbeek, NL - Best Kept Secret Festival Aug. 03 - Seattle, WA - The Sunset Tavern Aug. 05 - Oakland, CA - Starline Social Club Aug. 06 - Costa Mesa, CA - The Wayfarer Aug. 08 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo Aug. 09 - San Diego, CA - Space Bar Aug 10 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress Aug. 12 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk (Inside). Aug. 13 - Dallas, TX - Deep Ellum Art Gallery Aug. 14 - Memphis, TN - The Hi-Tone Cafe Aug. 16 - Chicago, IL - The Beat Kitchen Aug. 17 - Detroit, MI - Outer Limits Lounge Aug. 18 - Toronto, ON - The Monarch Aug. 19 - Montreal, QC - L’ Esco Aug. 21 - Boston, MA - The Middle East Aug. 22 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge Aug. 23 - Brooklyn, NY - TV Eye Aug. 24 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie Aug. 25 - Washington, DC - DC9
The Homesick’s The Big Exercise is out now on CD/LP/DL worldwide through Sub Pop. The album, which features the singles “I Celebrate My Fantasy,” “Male Bonding,” “Kaïn,” and the title track, was produced by the band at Schenk Studio in Amsterdam, mixed by Casper van der Lans, and mastered by Mikey Young (Total Control, Eddy Current Suppression Ring).
LP purchases of The Big Exercise through megamart.subpop.com, select independent retailers and the Homesick’s shows in North America will receive the limited Loser edition on bright yellow vinyl (while supplies last). Meanwhile, LP purchases of the album in the UK and Europe from select independent retailers and the band’s live shows will receive the limited Loser edition on opaque yellow vinyl (while supplies last).
What “The People” are saying about The Homesick:
“The Homesick like a good tune. Fans of self-possessed art-pop are directed here.” [The Big Exercise, ★★★★] - MOJO
“In my humble opinion though, only a few acts have really transcended local industry mores and enlightened amateurism to make something of truly wider, lasting appeal. And maybe none more so than The Homesick with this record, which should surely sneak through the gates of classic pop heaven.” [The Big Exercise] - The Quietus
“An oddity, a triumph brimming with personality.” [The Big Exercise, ★★★★★] - NARC
“On their first LP for Sub Pop, the Netherlands trio double down on the infectious blend of melodic, whimsical pop and itchy post-punk rhythms laid out on their debut album.” [The Big Exercise] - Uncut
