mxdwn.co.uk » the darker the shadow the brighter the light https://www.mxdwn.co.uk all that matters in music in the UK Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:12:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1 The Streets Announce New Album ‘The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light’ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/the-streets-announce-new-album-the-darker-the-shadow-the-brighter-the-light/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/the-streets-announce-new-album-the-darker-the-shadow-the-brighter-the-light/#comments Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:22:35 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=63087 Mike Skinner has announced that The Streets will release a new album, The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light, later this year on October 20th via 679 Recordings and Warner Music UK. The latest full length LP from Skinner’s musical project since Computers And Blues in 2011, the series of tracks will also play the part of a soundtrack, being accompanied by a feature film of the same name.

Skinner also announced a UK tour that will support the release of both the film and the album. It is set to begin on October 26th in Nottingham and will conclude in London on November 16th and provides an ample opportunity for fans to see The Streets perform live.

Talking about the upcoming album and film projects, Skinner has said, “It has been seven long years working on this film and album. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and after dipping my toe in with some shorts and music videos, I felt I was ready. I tried to go the traditional route for a bit, but it’s always served me better to follow my instincts and just get on with it myself, so I’ve directed it, acted in it, edited, sound mixed, funded, produced it all as well as written it.

He continued, “The album doesn’t exist without it. Ultimately it’s all the fruits of a decade on the DJ circuit, watching people in clubs and back rooms, testing out beats and basslines to see what connected – and putting it all together into The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light.”

Watch the music video for “Troubled Waters“, a single from the new album, below:

Formed as a musical project by Mike Skinner in 1994, The Streets have become a household name in the UK grime, garage and hiphop scene. The project’s seminal debut album, Original Pirate Material, was released in 2002 to widespread critical acclaim, reaching number 10 in the UK Albums Chart, and its successor, A Grand Don’t Come For Free (2004), enjoyed an even higher level of popularity, topping the UK Albums Chart in doing so.

Watch the music video for “Has It Come To This?“, a hit single from Original Pirate Material, below:

A further three albums, The Hardest Way To Make A Living (2006), Everything Is Borrowed (2008) and Computers And Blues (2011), have been released, meaning The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light will be The Street’s sixth studio album.

See below for tour dates:

26/10/2023 – Rock City – Nottingham
27/10 – O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester
28/10 – O2 Academy – Sheffield
2/11 -O2 Academy – Glasgow
3/11 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle
4/11 – O2 Academy – Leeds
9/11 – The Mountford Hall – Liverpool
10/11 – O2 Academy – Birmingham
13/11 – The Nick Rayns LCR – Norwich
14/11 – O2 Academy – Bournemouth
16/11 – Alexandra Palace – London

Pre-order The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light here for exclusive first access to pre-sale tour tickets.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/the-streets-announce-new-album-the-darker-the-shadow-the-brighter-the-light/feed/ 0 Mike Skinner Announces a Month of Shows at London’s XOYO https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/mike-skinner-announces-a-month-of-shows-at-londons-xoyo/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/mike-skinner-announces-a-month-of-shows-at-londons-xoyo/#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2022 22:06:30 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=52441 After being forced to postpone all of the dates for The Streets’ tour (initially slated to take place last July) fans were greeted with a few months of confused waiting before details finally emerged in September… that the shows were going to take place in January. The 5-night stint at The Mill in their hometown Birmingham was first revealed to be delayed after a member of the crew had to isolate with a bout of COVID-19. Now the tour has finally kicked off and the Birmingham dates have all passed, Skinner has clearly gotten a taste for the touring lifestyle after announcing a month-long stint at XOYO in Shoreditch. Starting on March 4th, Skinner will perform at the club each Friday for the month. Ticket information is available here.

Writing on Instagram last summer, concerning the cancellations for the shows, Skinner said, “It is with a very heavy heart that I have to say that we have decided to cancel all live performances for 2022, It is not fair to keep taking your money for tickets knowing that with 1 case of COVID, the whole thing has to stop.” He added, “I’m really sorry to disappoint you. This has been the worst week of the worst year of my life.” But in exchange for this disappointing news, we were able to hear a new collaboration between The Streets and UK rapper Master Peace “Wrong Answers Only”. The track is the 2nd of a series of tracks released recently after “Who’s Got the Bag (21st June)” hit the outside world last March. You can hear the new track below.

Skinner also released a new album last year with one of his side projects, The Darker the Brighter the Light, titled The Streets. Some assume that the album is set to become the soundtrack for a movie that Skinner might be directing in the future. Regarding the movie, Skinner commented to the BBC, “The film has definitely got things in common with ‘Quadrophenia’. Also, in a weird way, kind of Tommy as well, because in my film it’s a musical but the songs are the voiceover. Tommy has got a bit of that, although it’s not surreal like Tommy.”

 See below the remaining dates for The Streets ongoing tour, the Birmingham dates have already passed. But you may be able to bag the last few tickets to the remaining shows if you’re lucky. Check here for more details.

24/01/22 O2 Academy- Bristol
25/01 Rock City- Nottingham
27/01 O2 Academy- Brixton
28/01 O2 Academy- Brixton
31/01 O2 Academy- Leeds
01/02 O2 Academy- Glasgow
03/02 O2 City Hall- Newcastle
04/02 O2 Victoria Warehouse- Manchester
05/02 University Mountford Hall- Liverpool
28/07-31/07 Lowther Deer Park- Hackthorpe

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