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 25^th.

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 “&” here.

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 here. 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.

“&” 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 18^th 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 17^th November. Tickets on sale here. Pre- sale tickets on sale on 18^th September. General on sale 20^th September. Full dates below.

“&” LIVE – 7 Special One-Off Shows - dates below.

10^th November – La Cigale, Paris

11^th November – Cirque Royal, Belgium

13^th November – Royal Theatre Carré, Amsterdam

14^th November – Theatre Des Westens, Berlin

17^th November – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London

23^rd November – United Theater on Broadway, LA

25^th November – Town Hall, New York

Full “&” Album Track listing

Intros & Narrators

Eve & Paradise Lost

Emily & Her Penthouse In The Sky

Blue Sky & The Painter

Leonard & Marianne

Marie & Polonium

Red Wine & Wilde

Seasons & Narcissus

Drawbridge & The Baroness

The Soprano & Her Midnight Wonderings

Essie & Paul

Mademoiselle & The Nunnery Blaze

Zheng Yi Sao & Questions For Her

Telegraph Road 1977 & 2024

Author: Adam Bailey

Adam is a regular contributor for established press release distribution website Release-News.com. He writes on a wide range of topics including music.