Excellent news: Grouper has just announced a new album, Ruins, which should be with us on October 31 via Kranky. It follows up The Man Who Died In His Boat, one of our favourite albums of last year, and was recorded three years ago, as Grouper’s Liz Harris explains: "Ruins was made in Aljezur, Portugal in 2011 on a residency set up by Galeria Zé dos Bois. I recorded everything there except the last song, which I did at mother’s house in 2004. I’m still surprised by what I wound up with. It was the first time I’d sat still for a few years; processed a lot of political anger and emotional garbage. Recorded pretty simply, with a portable four-track, Sony stereo mic and an upright piano. When I wasn’t recording songs I was hiking several miles to the beach. The path wound through the ruins of several old estates and a small village. The album is a document. A nod to that daily walk. Failed structures. Living in the remains of love. I left the songs the way they came (microwave beep from when power went out after a storm); I hope that the album bears some resemblance to the place that I was in."
That’s all the information for the time being. In the meantime, listen to The Man Who… highlight ‘Vital’ below:
