Dave Harrington‘s experimental trio DARKSIDE has revealed plans for a new jam-inspired album, Nothing. Out February 28th via Matador, the nine-track album marks the first full-length release from the band since Harrington and Nicolás Jaar added drummer and longtime collaborator Tlacael Esparza to the lineup in 2022.
Along with the album announcement, DARKSIDE shared the second single, “S.N.C.”, which follows last year’s “Graucha Max“. The track rolls in on a slinky bassline reminiscent of Tame Impala‘s brand of psych-pop, before some Stevie Wonder clavinet adds new dimensions and Esparza contributes a four-on-the-floor disco beat. All of these disparate elements then combine for a middle apex that’s all the more satisfying after hearing the segments come together piece by piece. The Cuan Roche-directed music video takes live footage of the band on a Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory boat scene bad trip, with aqueous distortions shooting the band out on the other side as a trio of referees.
Unlike DARKSIDE’s previous studio efforts, Psychic (2013) and Spiral (2021), Nothing was born from impromptu studio jams. The group improvised for hours a day at a rented rehearsal space in northeast L.A. throughout the summer of 2022. On off days from a 2023 tour of Europe—the band’s first in nine years—DARKSIDE began recording what would become Nothing at a studio in the south of France and completed the album with additional sessions in L.A. and Paris.
“Nothing reflects a search for form borne out of spontaneous elliptical jams, acoustic riffing, and digital levitations,” a description from Matador reads. “The outcome is magnetic and hieroglyphic. This album slips through the cracks of convention with serpentine guitars, extraterrestrial static, and cavernous drums.”
Check out the music video for “S.N.C.” from the new DARKSIDE album Nothing. Pre-order Nothing here and scroll down for the tracklist and album artwork. In March, the band will head out on its first North American tour in 11 years, playing shows in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Nashville, Seattle, Denver, and more, along with festival sets at Big Ears in Knoxville, TN and Coachella in Indio, CA. See below for a full list of tour dates and find tickets on Ticketmaster and the band’s website.
DARKSIDE — “S.N.C.” [Official Video]
Nothing Tracklist:
1. Slau
2. S.N.C
3. Are You Tired
4. Graucha Max
5. American References
6. Heavy is Good For This
7. Hell Suite (Part I)
8. Hell Suite (Part II)
9. Sin El Sol No Hay Nada
