La Luz have announced they're making their Sub Pop debut with a new album titled News of the Universe, due May 24. They've also plotted a supporting international tour and shared the album's lead single "Strange World."
News of the Universe is said to be a record "born of calamity, a work of dark, beautiful psychedelia reflecting [bandleader Shana] Cleveland's experience of having her world blown apart by a breast cancer diagnosis just two years after the birth of her son." It also marks drummer Audrey Johnson's first album with the band and the final appearances of members bassist Lena Simon and keyboardist Alice Sandahl.
"It's been a strange and difficult few years, and at moments, I have found myself rushing to move forward in time, to leave the present and escape to whatever is next," said Cleveland.
She continued, "The best advice a friend gave me during a time when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed and battling consecutive panic attacks was to go outside, take my shoes off, and sit with my feet on the earth. This seemed to slow the universe down in a way that made it feel easier to handle. So this chorus [of 'Srtage World'] is something of a mantra to myself 'we'll be fine, just take your time.'"
You can listen to La Luz's new single below, where you'll also find the album's tracklist and the band's upcoming tour schedule — including performances in Montreal (October 11), Toronto (October 12) and Vancouver (November 3).
News of the Universe:
1. Reaching Up to the Sun
2. Strange World
3. Dandelions
4. Poppies
5. Good Luck with Your Secret
6. Always in Love
7. Close Your Eyes
8. I'll Go with You
9. Blue Moth Cloud Shadow
10. News of the Universe
11. Moon in Reverse
12. Blue Jay
La Luz 2024 Tour Dates:
05/23 Barcelona, Spain - Sala Upload
05/24 Madrid, Spain - Tomavistas Festival
05/25 London, UK - Wide Awake Festival
05/30 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile (Record Release Show)
07/27 Portland, OR - Project Pabst
08/30 Brighton, UK - Brighton Psych Fest
08/31 Manchester, UK - Manchester Psych Fest
09/01 Edinburgh, UK - Edinburgh Psych Fest
09/03 Bristol, UK - Strange Brew
09/05 Paris, France - Point Ephemere
09/06 Sart-Messire-Guillaume, Belgium - SMG Music Fest
09/07 Asten-Heusden, Netherlands - Misty Fields Festival
09/08 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Indiestadt x Suger Mountain @ Paradiso
09/10 Cologne, Germany - Bumann & SOHN
09/11 Hamburg, Germany - Prinzenbar
09/12 Berlin, Germany - Badehaus
09/13 Schorndorf, Germany - Manufaktur
09/14 Zürich, Germany - Bogen
09/26 Chicago, IL - Subterranean
09/27 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
09/28 St. Paul, MM - Turf Club
09/30 St. Louis, MO - Blueberry Hill
10/01 Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
10/02 Nashville, TN - The End
10/03 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade @ Purgatory
10/04 Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall
10/05 Richmond, VA - Richmond Music Hall
10/06 Washington, DC - The Atlantis
10/08 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
10/09 Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere - Hall
10/10 Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
10/11 Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz
10/12 Toronto, ON - Adelaide Hall
10/13 Ferndale, MI - The Loving Touch
10/28 Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
10/30 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
10/31 Boise, ID - The Olympic
11/03 Vancouver, BC - The Pearl
11/06 Sacramento, CA - Harlow's
11/07 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
11/08 Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room
11/09 Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room