After a 13-year gap since their previous full-length release, Cartel are preparing to return to recording with a new album launching in September through Field Day Records. The vocalist describes the album's core themes around empathy, community, and inclusivity, noting that the creative work served as a personal healing process. The band aims to preserve their musical identity whilst reflecting their growth.

The project includes two released singles that illustrate the band's evolved perspective. One track tackles hardship in urban settings following recent immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, with the vocalist expressing frustration about art serving purely as escapism whilst society avoids necessary conversations about serious issues. The companion track continues the band's tradition of sharp social observation. The band will undertake a multi-stop American tour throughout the final months of the year as support for another act.