LANDSHAPES, the London four-piece with a nifty line in synth-driven indie psychedelia, have readied the third long-playing instalment of their recording career for your delectation after five years away.
Following two fine and well-received albums for Bella Union in the shape of Rambutan and Heyoon, they’re set to explore loneliness, isolation, alienation, the need for connection and community on Contact, which is out on November 20th.
This album features “actual synths” and a tighter song focus, explains bassist and vocalist Heloise Tunstall-Behrens. “We approached this album with the idea of creating more space, simplifying and allowing things to breathe. We also wanted to keep the songs briefer, with fewer deviations.”
In keeping with the themes the album sets out to explore, “The Ring” skips in a sprightly fashion around the title as a catchy mantra; “the ring, the ring, the ring is on your finger,” – the public show of a bond, a match made; but possibly a bondage, an ownership, a hollow gesture?
The album actually had a different working title that was swapped out, explains vocalist and synth player Luisa Gerstein.
“The working title for a long time was Collapse, but when we came around to naming it, and having the conversation from our respective isolation, we wanted to give it a name that was more hopeful, and about connectivity.
“Dan [drummer] suggested Contact, and it clicked: contact with each other; contact with the wider world amidst its unravelling; music feels like a really essential part of that right now.”
Landshapes’ Contact will be released by Bella Union on November 20th on digital, CD and mint green vinyl formats. Pre-order yours here; you can also find Landshapes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
