Field Music have announced their first album of new music in nearly four years, '
Limits of Language', set for release on 11th October via Memphis Industries.
The Sunderland brothers, Peter and David Brewis, have spent the intervening years since their last release in a period of reevaluation and reimagining. Following the conclusion of their '
Flat White Moon' album tour in 2022, the duo found themselves at a crossroads, uncertain about Field Music's future direction.
David Brewis explains their approach to the new album: "We came to the conclusion that we should just start making, pursuing whatever we were most excited about at that moment. And if that music felt like it should be part of a Field Music record, then we would go with that. And if not, well, we'll make other records."
The brothers spent 2023 exploring different musical avenues, with David releasing the jazz-influenced 'Soft Struggles', Peter creating the electronic-focused 'Blowdry Colossus', and collaborating on the brass-centric 'Binding Time'. These projects ultimately informed the sonic direction of 'Limits of Language'.
Peter Brewis describes the album's sound: "We didn't want to use the synths just as a nostalgic thumbprint. I hope that the approach was more Eno-esque than that. Exploring the capabilities of the machines."
The album's first single, 'Six Weeks, Nine Wells', showcases this new direction, blending synthesised textures with guitar elements and found-sound percussion. The track explores themes of childhood summers juxtaposed with adult anxieties.
'Limits of Language' marks the continuation of Field Music's prolific output, with the band approaching their 20th anniversary in 2025. Reflecting on their career, David Brewis states: "I think we've always been quite pure in our intentions as artists. We've never altered what we do for the sake of making money or chasing what other people like. And there's not really any reward for doing that beyond getting to make the music you want to make. But what if after all that you can't even make the music?"
