Canadian post-rock collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor has announced their latest album, provocatively titled “No Title As of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead.” The album is set for release on October 4 through Constellation Records. The title, referencing a reported Palestinian death toll from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, underscores the band’s continued engagement with global sociopolitical issues.
In a statement accompanying the album’s announcement, the band reflects on the challenging themes the record addresses: “NO TITLE= what gestures make sense while tiny bodies fall? what context? what broken melody? and then a tally and a date to mark a point on the line, the negative process, the growing pile.” The stark and fragmented language echoes the group’s signature style of pairing haunting instrumental compositions with poignant political commentary.
This upcoming release will mark the band’s first album since 2021’s “G_d’s Pee at State’s End!,” which also carried strong political overtones. As with their previous work, the new album is expected to blend the band’s sprawling, cinematic soundscapes with a deep, introspective examination of current global crises.
The band has also shared the album’s closing track, “Grey Rubble – Green Shoots,” a nearly seven-minute piece that likely offers a glimpse into the atmosphere of the rest of the record. With its layers of droning guitars and mournful violins, the track builds a narrative that feels both apocalyptic and hopeful, a duality that Godspeed You! Black Emperor has mastered over their decades-long career.
In support of the new album, the band has announced an extensive tour, although specific dates have yet to be confirmed.
“No Title As of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead”:
01 Sun Is a Hole Sun Is Vapors
02 Hole Sun Is Vapors Babys in a Thundercloud
03 Raindrops Cast in Lead
04 Broken Spires at Dead Kapital
05 Pale Spectator Takes Photographs
06 Grey Rubble – Green Shoots
