These New Puritans give update on follow-up to ‘Field of Reeds’

These New Puritans have given an update on progress towards the follow-up to ‘Field of Reeds’ in a new interview. They’re currently working on the new record in Berlin, though apparently they haven’t made a ‘Berlin Album’ They previously revealed in an update to fans in August that Massive Attack’s 3D has been with them in the studio.

Speaking to The Quietus, Barnett told them he’s writing in “a strange room that’s a bridge between two huge old 1950s broadcasting studios.” Other members of the band, “Tom, George and Graham came over a few months ago for a week to write stuff, rather than work through things that are already written. We pressed record the whole way through and there were a few good things there.

Barnett doesn’t think Berlin has particularly influenced the album, though he says “another good side-effect is that you can’t understand advertising, it’s like being a child or illiterate.”

Detailing how the new album is sounding, Barnett said that he started out leaning towards simplicity, but things have typically become more intricate over time. “At a certain point I was interested in simplicity, but I think that’s against my nature a lot of the time. There is something quite simple, but a twist that takes it into a different world. If there’s one change in the song, making that change the most powerful it can be.

These New Puritans have also been busy writing a score for a theatre adaption of Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel Brave New World. They will showcase new music at a one-off live date in London on 21st October, at KOKO.

Listen to These New Puritans’ ‘Fragment 2’ below.