Bombay Bicycle Club continue to blaze a trail as one of the UK’s most prolific and ambitious bands with the release of their fourth album in five years, So Long, See You Tomorrow (on February 3rd 2014 via Island Records) – and by unveiling the album’s ‘moving, breathing’ artwork.
The band will preview some songs from the new album at an exclusive intimate gig December 13th at Abbey Road Studios. Fans can go to the pre-order page for the new album at to find out how to get tickets.
The illustration is inspired by the work of groundbreaking 19th century photographer Eadweard Muybridge. A pioneer in the field of stop-motion photography, Muybridge was famed for his zoopraxiscope, a device for projecting motion pictures that pre-dated the film strips used in cinematography before digital.
Designed by La Boca, the unusual and distinctive image depicts a man journeying under the guidance of the sun and the moon in their cycles and in an opposing direction to a silhouetted woman. Echoing the theme of continuity, it is a particularly apt fit with the record as the new BBC album ambitiously comprises a series of beautiful melodies built around loops all interlinked by ONE big loop.
Penned by multi-talented frontman Jack Steadman – who wrote the record while travelling through India, Turkey, Europe and Tokyo, leaving it audibly awash with references from each of these cultures – he intended it from the outset to tell a story from the first track through to its finale.
Jack explains: “I think there is a romantic side to it, although I always try to leave the meaning side of a song and theme wide open.”
The new album looks to break exciting new ground yet again for a band, effortlessly diversifying and innovating at an astonishing rate with ethereal loops, offbeat rhythms, shimmering keys, Dutch techno blips, soaring strings and even Bollywood movie samples – it is without question a defining record for a band who remain in their early 20s.
Jack also self-produced the album which was recorded over 18 months in the band’s own studio and engineered and mixed by Mark Rankin (QOTSA, AlunaGeorge) – there are familiar backing vocals by long-time collaborator Lucy Rose and newcomer Rae Morris. Jack adds: “The last few years have been spent trying to move towards ‘our sound’, the fact that we have produced the album ourselves has helped a lot!”
Once again, Bombay Bicycle Club continue to break new ground while exciting their fans, managing to remain innovative while appearing effortlessly diverse. It follows on from the release of their single ‘Carry Me‘, and their 2014 tour which was announced last month.
The track listing is as follows:
1) Overdone
2) It’s Alright Now
3) Carry Me
4) Home By Now
5) Whenever Wherever
6) Luna
7) Eyes Off You
8) Feel
9) Come To
10) So Long, See You Tomorrow
