Truth stands on the gallows
Liеs sit on the throne
Something in thе shadows
Communicates by code
Conceived in 1979 by Matt Johnson, THE THE stands as a quintessential avant-garde British post-punk ensemble, renowned for their ever-evolving sound and pushing creative boundaries. Their debut, 1983’s Soul Mining, melded rock, funk, and electronic elements, signaling their genre-defying ambition. Critical triumphs followed with Infected three years later, then Mind Bomb in 1989. Featuring thought-provoking lyrics and groundbreaking videos, THE THE has retained a steadfast following despite extended absences, always resurfacing with fresh and potent artistic expressions.
Now, THE THE unveils Ensoulment, their first collection of new material in a quarter century. This forthcoming new album tackles enduring themes of love, sex, war, politics, life, and death, delving into the essence of what it means to be human in our times.
The lead single, Cognitive Dissident, penned by Matt Johnson and Barrie Cadogan, features the familiar talents of James Eller on bass, DC Collard on keyboards, and Earl Harvin on drums, with backing vocals by Gillian Glover. This track heralds the return of a band whose influence and insight remain as pertinent as ever.
Cognitive Dissident traverses a landscape where autonomy is eroded by omnipresent surveillance and digital manipulation. The poet dissects the dystopian reality of propaganda and controlled narratives, where dissent is squashed, and the truth is perverted. The verses reflect a world turned upside down, where illusions are curated and the familiar is dismantled. As the unthinkable becomes normalized, the imperative is clear: conform or face obliteration in the age of wrongthink.
“We certainly live in interesting times,” muses Matt Johnson. The world is becoming more inverted, weird and hallucinogenic by the day.”
The visualizer was animated by Craig “Goonzi” Gowans at “12 Inch Media ahead of an upcoming music video.
Written, demoed, and mixed at Studio Cinéola in London, the creative haven of Matt Johnson, the driving force behind THE THE, Ensoulment promises a thoughtful and poignant exploration of these timeless topics. This twelve-song collection marks THE THE’s return to the studio, with the release set for Friday, 6 September 2024, under the Cinéola/earMUSIC label.
The songs were further refined in rehearsals ahead of a six-day session at Real World Studios near Bath, where Matt was joined by long-standing THE THE members James Eller (bass), DC Collard (keyboards), Earl Harvin (drums), and Barrie Cadogan (lead guitar). The album also marks the return of co-producer and engineer Warne Livesey, who previously worked on Infected (1986) and Mind Bomb (1989).
The cover artwork for this single is a previously unpublished work by Andy Dog.
To promote the new album, THE THE have announced the Ensouled World Tour 2024, the band’s first concert since their hugely successful The Comeback Special world tour in 2018. More concerts will be announced soon.
Tour Dates:
AUGUST
- Wednesday 21 August – (WARM UP) Cambridge Junction, Cambridge, England SOLD OUT
- Thursday 22 August – (WARM UP) The Waterfront Norwich, England SOLD OUT
- Friday 23 August – (WARM UP) Picturedrome, Holmfirth, England SOLD OUT
- Sunday 25 August – National Museum Of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin, Ireland
SEPTEMBER
- Friday 6 September – Rock City, Nottingham, England
- Saturday 7 September – Birdwell Venue, Barnsley, England
- Tuesday 10 September – Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway
- Wednesday 11 September – Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway SOLD OUT
- Friday 13 September – Filadelfia, Stockholm, Sweden
- Saturday 14 September – Store Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark SOLD OUT
- Sunday 15 September – Store Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark SOLD OUT
- Tuesday 17 September – Huxleys, Berlin, Germany
- Wednesday 18 September – Carlswerk Victoria, Köln, Germany
- Thursday 19 September – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium SOLD OUT
- Saturday 21 September – De Roma, Antwerp, Belgium SOLD OUT
- Sunday 22 September – Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands SOLD OUT
- Monday 23 September – Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands SOLD OUT
- Wednesday 25 September – Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland SOLD OUT
- Friday 27 September – The Civic At The Halls, Wolverhampton, England
- Saturday 28 September – Alexandra Palace, London, England SOLD OUT
- Monday 30 September – O2 Apollo, Manchester, England SOLD OUT
OCTOBER
- Tuesday 1 October – Brixton Academy, London, England
- Friday 11 October – Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Saturday 12 October – Durham Performing Arts, Durham, NC, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Monday 14 October – The Anthem – Washington, DC, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Tuesday 15 October – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Thursday 17 October – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Saturday 19 October – Orpheum Theatre – Boston, MA, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Sunday 20 October – MTELUS – Montreal, QC, Canada (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Tuesday 22 October – Massey Hall – Toronto, ON, Canada (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Wednesday 23 October – Masonic Cathedral Theatre – Detroit, MI, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Friday 25 October – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Saturday 26 October – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Tuesday 29 October – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Wednesday 30 October – Eccles Theater – Salt Lake City, UT, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Saturday 2 November – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Sunday 3 November – Roseland Theater – Portland, OR, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Monday 4 November – Orpheum – Vancouver, BC, Canada (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Thursday 7 November – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
- Friday 8 November – Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, USA (PRESALE VIA NEWSLETTER 22 MAY)
NOVEMBER
- Thursday 14 November 2024 – Kiri Te Kanawa, Auckland, New Zealand SOLD OUT
- Saturday 16 November 2024 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia SOLD OUT
- Sunday 17 November 2024 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
- Monday 18 November 2024 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide, Australia
- Thursday 21 November 2024 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
- Friday 22 November 2024 –Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
- Saturday 23 November 2024 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, Australia SOLD OUT
- Sunday 24 November 2024 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, Australia
- Wednesday 27 November 2024 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth, Australia
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