Bastille’s Dan Smith releases “&” Part Two leading up to full album “&” in October

Today, Bastille’s Dan Smith unveils “&” Part Two – a two track release featuring new singles, “Blue Sky & The Painter” and “Leonard & Marianne”, taken from the forthcoming album & (Ampersand) out October 25th.

A beautiful new project from Bastille’s Dan Smith, & is collection of story songs that explores the worlds of fascinating figures from history, mythology, and pop culture, fed by instinctive new collaborations with friends and family, dazzling arrangements and an infectious spirit of musical freedom. Watch Dan introduce the making of & by scrolling down.

New single, Blue Sky & The Painter is inspired by the Norwegian expressionist painter, Edvard Munch and his relationship with his depression, and the difficult engine that allowed him to create. Uplifting and euphoric, the song is about seeing a crack of light in life after a long period of darkness. Watch Dan perform a stripped back version of the track in the middle of the Sargasso Sea, (one of the most important marine ecosystems on the planet) where he was invited by Greenpeace to raise awareness of protecting our oceans. Leonard &Marianne is a mesmerizing love song about longing and loss, inspired by the complex relationship between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen, it’s one of the first tracks that Smith wrote for the “&” project back in 2020.

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“&” Part Two follows the recently released “&” Part One which includes the four tracks “Intros and Narrators”, “Eve & Her Paradise Lost”, “Seasons & Narcissus” and “Emily & Her Penthouse In The Sky”.

A deeper dive into the characters on the album can be heard on, ‘MUSES: An Ampersand Podcast’ – a new podcast blending music, history and storytelling which launches on the 18th September. Smith and academic/podcaster Emma Nagouse (BBC Radio 4’s You’re Dead to Me and BBC Sounds’ Homeschool History) collaborate to uncover the lives of the poets, artists, anthropologists and trailblazers featured on the record and break down Dan’s journey of transforming their lives into songs for &. Link to sign up here.

To celebrate the album’s release, the “&” live tour will take place in November with 7 special one-off shows across seven global cities including Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Berlin, Los Angeles, New York and at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on the 17th November. Pre- sale tickets on sale on 18th September. General on sale 20th September. Full dates below. Tickets on sale via the band’s website.

& LIVE – 7 Special One-Off Shows

  • 10th November – La Cigale, Paris
  • 11th November – Cirque Royal, Belgium
  • 13th November – Royal Theatre Carré, Amsterdam
  • 14th November – Theatre Des Westens, Berlin
  • 17th November – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
  • 23rd November – United Theatre, LA
  • 25th November – Town Hall, New York

Full & Album Track listing

  1. Intros & Narrators
  2. Eve & Paradise Lost
  3. Emily & Her Penthouse In The Sky
  4. Blue Sky & The Painter
  5. Leonard & Marianne
  6. Marie & Polonium
  7. Red Wine & Wilde
  8. Seasons & Narcissus
  9. Drawbridge & The Baroness
  10. The Soprano & Her Midnight Wonderings
  11. Essie & Paul
  12. Mademoiselle & The Nunnery Blaze
  13. Zheng Yi Sao & Questions For Her
  14. Telegraph Road 1977 & 2024

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