.@GlassAnimals‘ “Heat Waves” rises 13-10 on this week’s #Hot100.

It reaches the top 10 in its 42nd week. That’s the longest trip to the top 10 in the chart’s 63-year history.

— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) November 8, 2021

The record was previously held by American Idol winner Carrie Underwood and her Grammy winning single “Before He Cheats”. Underwood took a meagre 38 weeks to climb into the top 10 and peak in 8^th position. 4 Weeks less than Glass Animals journey.

Meanwhile, the bands UK tour began in Glasgow last night. The tour will see them all over the UK with dates in Birmingham, London, Dublin and many others. See the full list of tour dates here.

While announcing the tour, the band also released a new single “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)”. Most of the viral success the band received from “Heat Waves” had clearly evaporated as the new single didn’t break the top 100 in the US or UK. The song has, however, been well received by fans along with it’s video directed by Drew Kirsch who co-directed Taylor Swift’s video for her single “Me”.

Upon releasing the single, frontman, Dave Bayley stated “The new single is intended to provide a musical release from the pressure cooker of a global pandemic”. The band also expressed the sensation of releasing new music during a pandemic as “overwhelming”. Bayley elaborated “That’s what this track is about – that pressure cooker exposing and expanding so many cracks, but struggling to fill them in and decompress”.

The bands slow and steady approach seems to be working well for them too, as “Heat Wave” also managed to land 5^th position in the UK Singles Chart. While not quite as long winded as the climb in the US, it still took 35 consecutive weeks of climbing to finally make it. Dreamland is also, unsurprisingly, Glass Animals’ most commercially successful album debuting at number 2 upon the albums’ release in 2020.

We’ve added a special UK show at Dreamland in Margate on Aug 26th with @kellyleeowens, @mariedavidsn and L’Oeil Nu.
Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am.https://t.co/ktpbAE6nIh pic.twitter.com/Z0sH3qcPpQ

— Caribou (@caribouband) May 18, 2021

Caribou will play tracks from his latest critically acclaimed album ‘Suddenly’ for the first time in the UK. The album came out in February last year after five years of break. His two most successful records so far were ‘Swim’ from 2010 and ‘Our Love’ from 2014 which landed on UK Chart Top 10. In summer 2019 he released a dancefloor led EP ‘Sizzling’ under his other name, Daphni.

Caribou’s latest release gained great reviews, with The Guardian commenting: “‘Suddenly’ ended up somewhere exciting: in a niche of its own, where electronic auteur meets singer-songwriter, where an innate feel for pop music and the dancefloor co-exists with experimentation”. NME added in their review: “Snaith has found the perfect balance between intimate songwriting and extroverted sonic decisions”.

Tickets to Dreamland will be on sale on 21st May at 10am and can be purchase here. Doors to the event will be open from 6pm.  

Caribou starts his UK tour this October. See full dates below. Tickets are available to purchase here.

26/08/21 – Dreamland – Margate
30/08 – All points East – London
20/10 – Invisible Wind Factory – Liverpool
22/10 – O2 Academy – London
24/10 – Rock City – Nottingham
25/10 – O2 Academy – Birmingham
26/10 – O2 Academy – Leeds
27/10 – Depot Mayfield – Manchester
22/01/22 – Sage Gateshead – Gateshead
24/01 – Borrowland Ballroom – Glasgow
25/01 – O2 Academy – Bristol
30/01 – Brighton Dome – Brighton

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My sweet boys @glassanimals asked me to hop onto their timeless banger “Tangerine” off their album “Dreamland”! It was a pleasure to be a feature and have a boogie on stage with them for their livestream. Love you boys go smash the link in my bio to listen

A post shared by Arlo Parks (@arlo.parks) on Oct 17, 2020 at 9:58am PDT

The livestream show, that took place on Friday, was titled Glass Animals: Live In The Internet. The band wanted to promote their new album and unfortunately had to do so with a virtual performance due to obvious reasons. The event was, however, enhanced by elaborate sets and visuals -each designed to reflect one of their three EPs.

The presence of special guests Arlo Parks and Denzel Curry, the latter of whom features on the album in song Tokyo Drifting, made the live-stream even more exciting. Park’s verse on Tangerine gives the track a more varied and melancholy feel. In her signature soft vocals she sings wistfully about missing a past love: I wanna see you blooming like a tulip with your hair dyed peach… I used to know the way you smiled// And how you liked your tea// Now your spirited away… I miss that sweet little tangerine.

This is not the first time Parks has collaborated with Glass Animals. Back in April she teamed up with the Oxford band’s frontman Dave Bayley to deliver a cover of Drake’s hit single Hotline Bling. Incidentally, Tangerine and Hotline Bling both have that Timmy Thomas Why Can’t We Live Together backing beat that gives both songs a foot-tapping vibe.

Glass Animal’s Dreamland was a sleekly produced introspective album, that saw the band writing about personal experiences more than before. It was created after a period of intense trauma for the band, due to the fact that drummer Joe Seaward was hit by a truck in Dublin and nearly died. Seaward, who suffered extensive brain damage, had to relearn how to ‘walk, talk, and drum again’.

It is good to see the band being so active after such a period of distress. Hopefully there will be more collaborations, music and live-streamed shows in the near future!

Entitled ‘Live In The Internet’, the virtual event will air globally in numerous time-zones, or 8pm BST, and tickets will go on sale this Friday (25th) at 9am BST. The show will feature surprise guests, new music as well as previous fan favourites, and a modern take on Glass Animals’ usual tour antics. The band said, “In some ways we’re able to do more than ever before with our live show, and bring so many more of you together – utilising all the magical powers of the internet. This is the closest we can get to playing live for you (for now), so we’ve put everything we have into this.”

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Sup everyone… It’s been so tough not getting out on the road playing for you. we miss it so much. It may be a while before we’re out playing in the same room as you all…BUT we have spent a LOT of time experimenting with alternatives…and now after all of that thinking….I’m very very excited to announce a one-off streamed show…LIVE IN THE INTERNET. OCTOBER 15th. It’s going to be a global live streamed performance, featuring new songs, old songs, a crazy set featuring all your fave props and mad set design… plus some very special guests. We’ve had huge fun using the internet and modern tech in strange ways to release this album, and we are going to pull some of those ideas into this event too…(more on that soon, we need ur help!!). in some ways we’re able to do more than ever before with our live show, and bring so many more of you together – utilising all the magical powers of the internet. This is the closest we can get to playing live for you (for now), so we’ve put everything we have into this. tickets are on sale this Friday at 9am BST & there will be four different streams available covering different timezones- so you choose the best time for you. if you haven’t already, join our mailing list so you can get info direct into ur inbox. Im EXCITED. see u on the internet

A post shared by Glass Animals (@glassanimals) on Sep 22, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Bayley explained the thinking behind the performance in a press release, describing how the band looked at social media and gaming companies, taking inspiration from their innovative methods of online interaction. He said that the incredible atmosphere found at live gigs “doesn’t exist on the internet BUT…the internet is good for interacting in a different way. It’s the most powerful thing in the world. You can do things on the internet that you can’t do in real life. It is a new type of performance space. Just like you’d perform and interact differently in a tiny club to how you’d perform in a stadium…you have to interact differently on the web.”

‘Dreamland’, the latest album from the band, is a 16-track record full of unique songs composed by frontman Dave Bayley. Its arrival was prefaced by three singles: ‘Tokyo Drifting’, ‘Your Love (Déjà Vu)’, ‘Dreamland’, and ‘Heat Waves’. Initially due for release in May, the album was pushed back so as not to take attention away from the Black Lives Matter movement. It was ultimately shared in August and shot to number 2 in the UK Albums Chart.

Despite not being able to tour currently, Glass Animals have planned a UK and European tour called ‘Welcome To Dreamland’ to run through May 2021. Tickets are on sale now, and the full dates can be found below.

05/05/2021 – Trix – Antwerp, Belgium
06/05 – Columbiahalle – Berlin, Germany
07/05 – Live Music Hall – Cologne, Germany
10/05 – Le Bataclan – Paris, France
12/05 – Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands
13/05 – Tivoli Ronda – Utrecht, Netherlands
16/05 – O2 Academy – Birmingham, UK
17/05 – Olympia Theatre – Dublin, UK
19/05 – O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester, UK
21/05 – O2 Academy – Leeds, UK
22/05 – Barrowlands – Glasgow, UK
23/05 – Rock City – Nottingham, UK
25/05 – O2 Academy – Bristol, UK
26/05 – Alexandra Palace – London, UK

 

 

 

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  NEW ALBUM, NEW TOUR. So, so excited to announce 2021 dates in the UK and Europe. These shows are going to feel so euphoric. We’ll be out of lockdown, joe will be back on the drums after his accident, and we’ll be playing all the new ones for the first time. see you there. PS UK/IRELAND: there’s a special ticket pre-sale next wed 9am (aug 5th). to get access grab a copy of our album from the official store (link in bio) before 5pm tues (aug 4th). you’ll get sent a code, the link & all deets via email. if you’ve already pre-ordered dw you’ll automatically get a code!! general on sale for all eu, uk & ireland shows is 9am BST / 10am CET fri 7th august. Xxx   A post shared by Glass Animals (@glassanimals) on Jul 31, 2020 at 7:00am PDT

Originally set to drop on the 10th July 2020, Glass Animals postponed the release of Dreamland in respect to the Black Lives Matter movement. Frontman Dave Bayley relayed their solidarity with the movement, writing in a post on Instagram that “The fight for civil rights is so much bigger and more important than any single piece of music.”

A sonic feast of glowing synthesised keys, glittering guitars and otherworldly percussion, Dreamland is not just an album, but an experience. Opening with a symphony of celestial organs, the heavenly title track sets the album’s lucid tone. Frontman Dave Bayley’s hypnotic vocals sing “Pulling down backstreets deep in your head/Slipping through dreamland like a tourist”. A sixteen track journey, Dreamland’s title track entices the listener down the rabbit hole, and you go willingly. 

Tangerine, a song about a broken relationship, playfully misleads you with its buoyant synth and vibrant backing track. The wistful lyrics, such as “I wish I could show you more of yourself/I wish I could make you somebody else” and “I’m beggin’ hands, knees, please/Tangerine, come on back to me” heightens the album’s introspective, personal nature. 

Glass Animals’ union with talented rapper Denzel Curry on Tokyo Drifting delivers a sharp, hard-hitting track that stands out from the rest of the album. A captivating blend of two diverse sonic palettes, Tokyo Drifting showcases the many moods of Glass Animals. 

The album shifts to a spooky tone on Space Ghost Coast to Coast. A reference to the 1994 animated talk show with the same name, the song is dark, beguiling bop. Bayley sings haunting lyrics like “Really think that metal gonna make you safe?/Playing peek-a-boo with the devil these days” that allude to gun violence. 

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WE DID IT. two years ago we didn’t know if we’d be able to make a third album together. feel incredibly, incredibly lucky to get to do this again thanks to our friends, family, team, labels, and to all of YOU. you all rulewe’re celebrating tonight. big love, dave and dudes xxx

A post shared by Glass Animals (@glassanimals) on Aug 7, 2020 at 2:09pm PDT

Glass Animals also took to social media today to ring in the release of Dreamland. Sharing the good news to Instagram, Glass Animals posted a celebratory snap to over 309,000 followers.  Featuring bandmates and long-time friends Dave Bayley, Drew MacFarlane, Joe Seaward and Edmund Irwin-Singer posing sweetly with their arms around one another, Glass Animals captioned the photo: “WE DID IT…We feel incredibly, incredibly lucky to get to do this again.” With a whopping 51,000 likes, the post was met with joy from Glass Animals’ huge fanbase. 

 

 

 

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NEW ALBUM, NEW TOUR. So, so excited to announce 2021 dates in the UK and Europe. These shows are going to feel so euphoric. We’ll be out of lockdown, joe will be back on the drums after his accident, and we’ll be playing all the new ones for the first time. see you there. PS UK/IRELAND: there’s a special ticket pre-sale next wed 9am (aug 5th). to get access grab a copy of our album from the official store (link in bio) before 5pm tues (aug 4th). you’ll get sent a code, the link & all deets via email. if you’ve already pre-ordered dw you’ll automatically get a code!! general on sale for all eu, uk & ireland shows is 9am BST / 10am CET fri 7th august. Xxx A post shared by Glass Animals (@glassanimals) on Jul 31, 2020 at 7:00am PDT

Chatting to Billboard about the intricate process behind Dreamland, Bayley described how they played around with music from his personal favourites. Bayley relayed that “I bought a lot of instruments that The Beatles and The Beach Boys might have used, and resampled them on samplers that Timbaland and Dr. Dre used.”

As well as the exciting arrival of Dreamland, Glass Animals have announced that they will return to the road next year. Set for a UK and European tour in May 2021, tickets for the ‘Welcome to Dreamland’ tour are out now.

Filmed at the deserted London concert hall, Hackney Earth, Bayley’s performance takes place where the Heat Waves music video was recently shot. The performance features Bayley sitting alone, tenderly picking at his electric guitar, delivering a hazy rendition of the track. 

Bayley is bathed in blue and pink stage lights, his hypnotic voice enveloping the entirety of the empty gig venue. The camera slowly turns between various close-up shots, giving the performance an intimate feel. Bayley’s astounding vocals carry just as powerfully in the unoccupied Hackney Earth as they would in a packed-out Glass Animals gig, conveying the musician’s vocal versatility.

Where Heat Waves is a pop-psyche, synthesised sensation, Bayley’s solo performance is a divergent reworking of the vibrant, percussively charged original. Singing the track’s wistful lyrics, “Sometimes all I think about is you/Late nights in the middle of June”, Bailey’s stripped down rendition allows the track’s poignant lyricism to resonate all the more deeply. 

Within the YouTube livestream Glass Animals also included a direct link to make donations for Crew Nation. Formed by Live Nation to combat Covid-19’s strain on the music industry and its live performance workers, Glass Animals shared their support for Crew Nations and independent music venues with the following statement: “Hackney Earth is one of my favourite local independent venues here in London…one of the many live music institutions at risk of closure. Miss you all and hope to be playing live again soon. Donate here if you can.” Donations to Crew Nation can be made here. 

Dropping after the recently celebrated singles Your Love (Déjà Vu), Tokyo Drifting and Dreamland, Heat Waves is the fourth treasure from Glass Animals in the wake of their highly anticipated third album. Also entitled Dreamland, the band postponed its release from 7th July to the 7th August out of respect and solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement. Glass Animals said of the album’s postponement: “All eyes and minds need to be focused on civil rights…the fight for civil rights is so much bigger than any single piece of music.”

Formed in Oxford, Glass Animals is made up of members Dave Bayley, Drew Macfarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer and Joe Seaward. Meeting each other during secondary school, Glass Animals have been making eclectic music together since 2010. After drummer Joe Seaward experienced a horrific bike accident, Glass Animals took a creative hiatus, but are now back and geared for Dreamland’s release. Seaward said to NME of his return: “There is no better feeling in the world than writing and recording a song and feeling proud of it”.

Heat Waves is out now.