Echo and the Bunnymen have announced Apples for Isaac, their first studio album in 12 years, due for release on 18 September. The English rock band, formed in Liverpool in the late 1970s, have remained active touring but have not released new material since 2014's Meteorites, making this a significant return for long-time fans.

The 11-track album was made with contributions from drummer Clem Burke, a close friend of frontman Ian McCulloch who died during the recording process, prompting a tribute from the band. McCulloch told Mojo magazine that the Covid pandemic contributed to the delay, alongside his desire to get the lyrics right, adding that the finished record sounds closer to how he originally envisioned it than any previous release. The band have shared an animated video for the first single, "Brussels Is Haunted".