Featured image by Pooneh Ghana
Preoccupations, the industrial post-punk outfit formerly known as Viet Cong, will release the follow-up to their 2016 self-titled release on March 23rd. Cheekily called New Material, the Jagjaguwar release is described by frontman Matt Flegel as “an ode to depression.”
“To depression and self-sabotage,” he continues, “and looking inward at yourself with extreme hatred.”
Lead single “Espionage” feels more furious than depressed, however, with Flegel’s frothing vocals crashing over waves of stormy, echoing distortion and thrumming bass. Cleaving through it all is a clean synth trail that should serve as a lifeline for the casual listener. See its eerie, shape-obsessed video above.
Preoccupations started from scratch with the album, noting that “virtually nothing” was written or demoed before the band came together to develop it. As such, they describe it as a collaborative process, one that incorporated producer Justin Meldal-Johnson (M83, Wolf Alice) to mix the rough cuts.
The band will hit the road a few weeks after the album’s release for a world tour that will keep them touring throughout the summer. See the full dates, as well as the album’s artwork and tracklist, below.
New Material Artwork:
New Material Tracklist:
01. Espionage
02. Decompose
03. Disarray
04. Manipulation
05. Antidote
06. Solace
07. Doubt
08. Compliance
Preoccupations 2018 Tour Dates:
04/14 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
04/18 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *
04/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade *
04/20 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere (Zone One) ^
04/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts *
04/24 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel *
04/26 – Columbus, OH @ The A&R Music Bar *
04/27 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *
04/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
05/01 – Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret *
05/03 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite *
05/04 – Calgary, AB @ Palomino *
05/05 – Calgary, AB @ Palomino
05/09 – Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt
05/11 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza #
05/12 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater #
05/14 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop #
05/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo #
05/19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar #
05/22 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda
05/23 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
05/24 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
06/05 – London, UK @ London Underground
06/07 – Berlin, DE @ Musik & Frieden
06/10 – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival
06/11 – Paris, France @ Maroquinerie
06/12 – Ramsgate, UK @ RMH
06/13 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
07/03 – Amsterdam, NL @ Sugarfactory
07/04 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow
^ = w/ Odonis Odonis
* = w/ Freak Heat Waves
# = w/ Moaning