U2 has officially announced their 16th studio album, Carnaval De Luz, arriving as the band celebrates 50 years together. It marks their first full album of new material in nine years, following 2017’s Songs of Experience, and Thursday’s announcement came with the release of second single“Silencio”and its Mexico City-shot video. The record was produced by Jacknife Lee, with contributions from Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Ryan Tedder and Martin Garrix.
The tracklist carries some serious star power. Rosalía collaborates on“The Mirror Maker,”while the closing track“Torn”features the final recorded vocal performance from the late Dolly Parton, a tender country song about broken family ties. Bono and The Edge have described the album as a“messy, provocative, sacred collection of songs,”with The Edge noting the first-ever use of flat-wound strings on a U2 recording. Bono’s invitation to listeners:“Bring your purple socks, your broken hearts, your rose-tinted naivety.”
With themes spanning spirituality, friendship, freedom and endurance, Carnaval De Luz arrives as both a celebration and a statement. Nine years away from the studio is a lifetime in today’s release cycle, but U2 seems less interested in keeping up than in saying something that lasts. Which track are you hitting first,“Silencio”or the Dolly closer? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
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