Kathryn Joseph’s new single “deer” arrives cloaked in sorrow and restrained beauty, a haunting first glimpse into her upcoming album WE WERE MADE PREY. Built around gentle, emotive synths and her unmistakable voice—fragile, enclosed, and quietly powerful—the track feels like a private reckoning. It’s a piece that doesn’t so much unfold as it hovers, pulling you into its aching intimacy.
The beauty of “deer” lies in its tension. The melody is graceful and melodic, yet shadowed with melancholy. Joseph’s vocal carries weight, not through volume or force, but by how it quivers under the pressure of what it’s not saying. Subtle layers of ticking rhythms and weaving synth lines suggest movement beneath the stillness. Yet, rather than erupt, the song dissolves quietly, choosing introspection over release.
“deer” is a fitting introduction to an album Joseph describes as her angriest and most definite yet—an exploration of want, pain, and self-reckoning. The track’s understated complexity hints at deeper storms within WE WERE MADE PREY, recorded with longtime collaborator Lomond Campbell in the Outer Hebrides. If this single is anything to go by, the album promises a visceral, unflinching emotional landscape.
Following the release of “deer,” Joseph will embark on a wide-reaching tour across the UK and Europe, performing both new material and past favourites. Her autumn headline run includes 12 new dates in England, in addition to summer festivals and support slots with Mogwai across the continent.
Kathryn Joseph Tour Dates:
10 May – Focus Wales @ St Giles Parish Church, Wrexham
18 May – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow (supporting Mogwai)
05 June – The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
06 June – Skye Gathering Hall, Isle of Skye
11 June – St. Luke’s, Glasgow
12 July – Under Canvas Festival, Inverness
25 July – Deer Shed Festival, North Yorkshire
02 August – Lugnasadh Festival, Newport-on-Tay
09 August – The Hub @ Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh
24 August – Krankenhaus Festival, Cumbria
Supporting Mogwai – Europe Tour:
31 August – The Hague, Paard
01 September – Nijmegen, Doornroosje
03 September – Malmö, Plan B
04 September – Gothenburg, Pustervik
06 September – Helsinki, House of Culture
08 September – Tallinn, Helitehas
09 September – Riga, Palladium
10 September – Vilnius, Kablys + Kultura
11 September – Warsaw, Progresja
13 September – Budapest, Reflektor Festival
14 September – Prague, Lucerna Music Bar
15 September – Vienna, Vienna Arena
16 September – Zagreb, Tvornica Kulture
18 September – Lausanne, Les Docks
19 September – Munich, Muffathalle
20 September – Cologne, Live Music Hall
Autumn UK Headline Tour:
16 October – York, The Crescent
17 October – Bristol, Strange Brew
20 October – Brighton, Green Door Store
21 October – Norwich, Norwich Arts Centre
22 October – Nottingham, Metronome
23 October – Coventry, The Tin Music & Arts
27 October – London, Omeara
28 October – Manchester, Deaf Institute
29 October – Sheffield, Sidney & Matilda
30 October – Birkenhead, Future Yard
01 November – Hebden Bridge, Trades Club
02 November – Newcastle, Cluny 2
“deer” is available to stream now, and WE WERE MADE PREY is due for release on May 30 via Rock Action Records.
