Ultraísta have announced a new album called Sister. It’s their first record in eight years (!) and it comes out March 13th via Partisan Records. Stream the lead single “Tin King” and check out its accompanying music video below.
Ultraísta is a behind-the-scenes indie rock supergroup, featuring vocalist-producer Laura Bettinson (FEMME), multi-instrumentalist-producer Nigel Godrich (Radiohead) and drummer-producer Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M., Atoms for Peace). On their new album, Sister, the trio turn sporadic improv sessions into nine fully bloomed songs. It follows up their 2012 self-titled debut album.
“All three of us have so many transferable skills, and Ultraísta is an opportunity to do something outside what we’d normally be doing,” said Godrich in a press release. “It’s all of us wearing different hats. For me, when I’m working with another creative force, my point of entry into the music is completely different. With this project it can take a lot longer because we’re able to be more self-indulgent. It’s a control freak’s dream!”
(Read: 50 Most Anticipated Albums of 2020)
“Tin King” is the opener to Sister and a perfect introduction to Ultraísta. The new song takes off with skittering live drums reminiscent of Caribou and lets synths pad around in equal parts excitement and haziness. Over it all, Bettinson gives a stellar performance, singing herself into a dizzy frenzy of gentle coos and layered, gentle enunciation.
In the self-directed music video for “Tin King”, Bettinson can be seen exiting the Tube, strolling the streets of London, and entering an art gallery displaying photographs of herself. It quickly turns into a strobe light affair where she dances and sings in front of the camera as lights blur around her. In other words, it’s a propulsive video to match the song’s lively tempo. Watch it below.
Pre-orders for Sister are now available.
Sister Artwork:
Sister Tracklist:
01. Tin King
02. Harmony
03. Anybody
04. Save It ‘Til Later
05. Ordinary Boy
06. Mariella
07. Water In My Veins
08. Bumblebees
09. The Moon and Mercury