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Sylvan Esso announce new album Ow with independent tour dates
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
Sylvan Esso have announced their first album in four years, titled Ow, the follow-up to No Rules Sandy and the first release on the North Carolina duo's own Psychic Hotline label, which they launched in 2018. The announcement follows the pair's decision last year to pull their catalogue from Spotify and comes alongside news of an extensive North American tour, underlining a broader push towards greater independence from streaming platforms and major label structures.
The 12-track album is due for release on 11 September, preceded by listening events held around the world on 3 September. Its new single, "Concrete Glen", samples Sigur Rós's "Svefn-g-englar" and arrives with a video directed by Aaron Anderson and Eric Timothy Carlson. Contributors to the record include Glenn Kotche, Jenn Wasner and BJ Burton, among others, and the album's release will be backed by a large-scale tour beginning this autumn, with a second leg to follow in early 2027.
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In short
- Sylvan Esso announce new album Ow, out 11 September
- First release on their own Psychic Hotline label
- Tour follows, with a second leg in early 2027
How this story developed
- 4 months ago The report was updated to confirm that the album's 12-track listing includes the previously issued single "Hot Slob" alongside "Concrete Glen", filling out the tracklist detail that had been missing from the initial announcement.
- 4 months ago Sylvan Esso announced their first album in four years, Ow, as the debut release on their own Psychic Hotline label, revealing an 11 September release date preceded by 3 September listening events, a new single "Concrete Glen" sampling Sigur Rós, contributions from Glenn Kotche, Jenn Wasner and BJ Burton, and a supporting tour running into early 2027.
Explained simply
Sylvan Esso are a North Carolina-based duo, made up of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn, known for blending folk-inflected songwriting with electronic production. In 2018 they set up their own label, Psychic Hotline, to release their own music and that of other artists, giving them more control over how their work is put out. Last year they also removed their music from Spotify, a move that fits a broader pattern of artists distancing themselves from major streaming platforms.
Their previous album, No Rules Sandy, came out four years ago, so this is their first new full-length release since then. The new album continues the pair's push towards greater independence, being released on their own label rather than through a bigger record company, and is being supported by a substantial run of tour dates across North America.
This matters chiefly for followers of the band and for people interested in how artists are trying to operate outside conventional streaming and label systems, since Sylvan Esso's choices around releasing and touring independently are part of a wider conversation in the music industry about artists' control over their work and how they reach audiences.
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Originally published by Pitchfork as “Sylvan Esso Line Up New Album Ow”.