The The’s Matt Johnson, photo by Gerald Jenkins
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
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
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