Shabazz Palaces Return with 'Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star'

The album will feature the likes of Julian Casablancas and Thundercat

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Apr 25, 2017

With their sophomore Lese Majesty and a Live at Third Man Records release behind them, Shabazz Palaces have lifted the curtain on their third studio LP. Titled Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star, the record will arrive through Sub Pop on July 14.

A press release reveals that Quazarz tells the story of a sentient being of the same name over its 11 tracks, sent to "Amurderca" to "chronicle and explore as a musical emissary. What he finds in our world is a cutthroat place, a landscape where someone like him could never quite feel comfortable amidst all the brutality and alternative facts and death masquerading as connectivity."

The record runs 11 tracks in length and features contributions "in body or in spirit" from Julian Casablancas, Thundercat, Gable and Huff, Ahmir, Jon Kirby, Sunny Levine, Blood, Thaddillac, Loud Eyes Lou, the Palaceer Lazaro and Darrius.

The Palaceer of Shabazz Palaces (a.k.a. the group's Ishmael Butler) had this to say as the extraterrestrial persona:  

I, Quazarz, Born on a Gangster Star, son only of Barbara Dream Caster and Reginald the Dark Hoper — he who rides on light — dreamer of the seventh dream and kissed eternal by Awet the Sun Scented — who far from home I found my same self differents in those constellies that be Dai at my weap-side immediate and all us Water Guild affiliates who revelries in the futures passed recordings and ceremonies flexing resplendent in the Paradise Sportif armour —  raising these musics a joy/cry that way into these aquadescent diamondized ethers of the Migosphere here on Drake world. Welcome to Quazarz.

The new album can be pre-ordered here. The group have also mapped out a North American tour, which includes some Canadian dates. You can find the itinerary below, along with a lyric video for album cut "Shine a Light."

Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star:

1. Since C.A.Y.A
2. When Cats Claw
3. Shine a Light (ft. Thaddillac)
4. Dèesse Du Sang
5. Eel Dreams (ft. Loud Eyes Lou)
6. Parallax (ft. The Palaceer Lazaro)
7. Fine Ass Hairdresser
8. The NeurochemMixalogue
9. That's How City Life Goes
10. Moon Whip Quäz (ft. Darrius)
11. Federalist Papers

Tour dates:

05/13 Seattle, WA - Upstream Music Fest + Summit 2017
08/16 Portland, OR - The Star Theater*
08/18 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall*
08/19 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theatre*
08/20 Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom*
08/21 El Paso, TX - Lowbrow*
08/23 Austin, TX - Mohawk (Outdoor Stage)*
08/24 Dallas, TX - Club Dada*
08/25 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon*
08/26 Atlanta, GA - Terminal West*
08/27 Charleston, SC - Music Farm*
08/28 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle*
08/30 Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups*
08/31 Detroit, MI - El Club*
09/01 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace*
09/02 Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount*
09/03 Quebec City, QC - Le Cercle
09/05 Boston, MA - The Sinclair*
09/06 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw*
09/07 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer*
09/08 Washington, DC - Black Cat*
09/09 Baltimore, DC - Ottobar*
09/11 Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall
09/15 Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park
09/16 Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park
09/17 Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park

* with Porter Ray

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