Julian Casablancas Previews New Album With Rioters and Video Games
The Strokes‘ Julian Casablancas has a new solo record on the way, and while details – like an album title or release date – are scarce, you can get a taste of what it will sound like in a glitchy new preview video. Using an array of warped, grainy footage from Casablancas and his new backing band The Voidz practicing to video of rioters and an old school, Pac-Man-looking game, the clip previews a few songs, starting with a wiry post-punk number with a strung-out bass line, discordant synths and Casablancas’ fuzzed out vocals. Next up is a blown-out punk rager, followed by a few offerings that are more experimental and atmospheric.
The album will see release on Casablancas’ own Cult Records and will follow up his 2009 solo effort Phrazes For the Young. Casablancas has a string of solo dates lined up in the coming months as well, including gigs at Lollapalooza in Chile (March 30th), Argentina (April 1st and 2nd) and Brazil (April 5th); he’ll return to the states on June 8th for a two sets at Governors Ball: one solo and one with the Strokes.
The Strokes released their fifth album, Comedown Machine last year, though Casablancas stayed busy outside the group, popping up on Daft Punk‘s “Instant Crush” off Random Access Memories. He closed out 2013 by signing New York City punk outfit Cerebral Ballzy to Cult, calling the group a “truly legit modern hardcore/punk band, and by far my favorite. It’s beyond exciting to try and help them in any and all ways we can and we’re honored to put their deliriously great new record out on Cult Records.”