Damon Albarn, has shared a live performance of “Polaris,” off his forthcoming new album The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows. To accompany the song’s release, the first in a series of special, cinematic films entitled ‘Sublime Boulevards – Performance Films’ launches today on YouTube. Featuring a performance by Albarn with a full live band alongside a string quartet, captured in black and white, the film series is directed by Transgressive Records founder Toby L and will accompany a selection of the album’s material.

The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows November 12th, via Transgressive Records. Originally intended as an orchestral piece inspired by the landscapes of Iceland, 2020 saw Albarn return to the music in lockdown and develop the work to 11 tracks which further explore themes of fragility, loss, emergence and rebirth. The result is a panoramic collection of songs with Albarn as storyteller. The album title is taken from a John Clare poem Love and Memory.

Albarn debuted a set of songs from the album as part of the Live At Worthy Farm event in Glastonbury last month. And this summer, accompanied by a band and string section, Albarn will perform a number of UK festival shows to play tracks from across his songbook, including the new album, on 12th and 13th July at Manchester International Festival and Edinburgh International Festival on 24th August.

Damon Albarn
The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Track List

The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
The Cormorant
Royal Morning Blue
Combustion
Daft Wader
Darkness To Light
Esja
The Tower Of Montevideo
Giraffe Trumpet Sea
Polaris
Particles

Damon Albarn
Live Dates

21 & 22 February – London (Barbican)
23 & 24 February – Dublin (National Concert Hall)
26 February – Luxembourg (Philharmonie)
28 February – Brussels (Bozar)
1 March – Brussels (Bozar)
2 March – Eindhoven (Muziekgebouw)
4 & 5 March – Paris (Philharmonie)
6 March – Lyon (Auditorium)
7 March – Hamburg (ElbPhilharmonie)
9 March – Copenhagen (KB Hallen)
11 March – Reykjavik (Harpa)

Tickets available HERE

Preorder The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows by Damon Albarn HERE