Disclosure recently returned with their <Ecstasy</ EP where they surprised released a track a day over five days. A time when hope and excitement for the new year ahead could still very much be felt; with a spring and summer of festivals and shows ahead of them, they plotted their return to the top of the UK electronic scene. A precursor to their third album, the Ecstasy EP rallied their fans and left them wanting more. Despite an unexpected shake up of release plans due to the unravelling of 2020, that wait is now over as brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence release their first album in five years: ENERGY.

Since the EP (and since 2020 lost its tiny mind), Disclosure released three singles “ENERGY” the hip house aural assault of ‘My High’ featuring Aminé and slowthai and the globally unifying and uplifting soundtrack to the sunshine to perk up even the gloomiest of outlook.

Released just this week, the latest offering is ‘Birthday’ featuring Kehlani & Syd. Taking the tempo down to a confident yet sultry swagger, ‘Birthday’ digs deeper in an R&B sound that the brother’s brought to the fore around their second album ‘Caracal’. Today also marks the launch of the Kid Studio directed video for which finds both Kehlani & Syd squished into intricate tiny dolls houses singing about the uncertainly of whether it’s cool to call each other up to wish them a Happy Birthday after some time apart. Look out for the excellent puppets of both artists in the closing scenes too…

The journey of releasing this album has taken many twists and turns as the pandemic re-shaped the world as we knew it; like water cutting new tributaries through the landscape or slowly eroding the edges of our lands. Disclosure have carefully and consciously navigated their path to this point. Where playing live became non-existent (a huge outlet for electronic and club music) – they selectively embarked on live streamed DJ sets to connect with fans and help transmit the new music into their locked-down lives. Bringing musical energy into the homes of thousands struggling with being unable to actually get out and have a good time. DJ sessions of note are Boiler Room, R1 Big Weekend & Dance Weekend, Earth Day and their own Kitchen Mixes live and direct from Guys kitchen. The most recent of these was their set from the epic Plitvice Lakes in Croatia for Cercle.

Also this week, Disclosure announced ENERGY: The Minecraft Experience. With the help of design collective Blockworks alongside Island Records, they’ve created an immersive meta-verse within Minecraft inspired by the vibrant world of their new record. Fans can join Disclosure’s dedicated server in the video game and discover a square mile of rolling hills, roiling streams, and dark caverns, made up of 100 million blocks, all of which come together in a stunning mosaic to replicate ‘ENERGY’s earthy cover art.

ENERGY features appearances from Mick Jenkins, Channel Tres, Eric Thomas, Aminé and slowthai sit comfortably alongside the legend that is Common. Other features include the inimitable Kelis who opens the album and Fatoumata Diawara who the boys also linked up with previously for the Grammy nominated ‘Ultimatum’. Cameroon’s Blick Bassy brings his own flow to the table while a powerhouse team of Kehlani & Syd ease the pace with their contribution towards the end of the record.

“It’s such a privileged lane that we’ve found ourselves in,” says Guy. “It’s great that we can play to 20,000 people and then go and play a dark, sweaty rave. We just want the most amount of people to have the most amount of enjoyment. We can’t wait to do it again and again when the time comes.”

Disclosure
ENERGY
Tracklisting:

Watch Your Step (Kelis)
Lavender (Channel Tres)
My High (Aminé & slowthai)
Who Knew? (Mick Jenkins)
Douha (Mali Mali) (Fatoumata Diawara)
Fractal (Interlude)
Ce n’est pas (Blick Bassy)
ENERGY (Eric Thomas)
Thinking ‘Bout You (Interlude)
Birthday (Kehlani & Syd)
Reverie (Common)

Disclosure
EU & UK Club Shows:

15/01 – Viertel Klub – Basel, Switzerland
16/01 – Le Sucre – Lyon, France
29/01 – World Headquarters Club – Newcastle,
30/01 – The Loco Klub – Bristol
06/02 – Patterns – Brighton
13/02 – Badaboum – Paris, France
19/02 – The Limelight – Belfast
20/02 – Index – Dublin, Ireland
25/02 – Jaki – Cologne, Germany
26/02 – BLITZ Club – Munich, Germany
27/02 – Übel & Gefährlich – Hamburg, Germany
03/03 – Wire – Leeds
04/03 – Pryzm – Kingston upon Thames
05/03 – Invisible Wind Factory Hall – Liverpool
06/03 – The Brickworks – Nottingham
12/03 – Werkhaus – London
13/03 – Werkhaus – London