Gary Numan will release his brand new album Intruder on May 21st. Numan’s 18th album, follows his 2017 releaseSavage: Songs From A Broken World. The album depicted earth as a barren wasteland in which humanity and culture had been largely crushed by the effects of global warming, ‘Intruder’ presents a fresh but complementary narrative. It’s a philosophical examination of a potential future apocalypse: the planet can only survive by purging its inhabitants. The title-track will be available to stream on January 11, 2021.

Gary Numan on Intruder:

“Intruder” looks at climate change from the planet’s point of view. If Earth could speak, and feel things the way we do, what would it say? How would it feel? The songs, for the most part, attempt to be that voice, or at least try to express what I believe the earth must feel at the moment.

The planet sees us as its children now grown into callous selfishness, with a total disregard for it’s well being. It feels betrayed, hurt and ravaged. Disillusioned and heartbroken it is now fighting back. Essentially, it considers human kind to be a virus attacking the planet. Climate change is the undeniable sign of the Earth saying enough is enough, and finally doing what it needs to do to get rid of us, and explaining why it feels it has to do it.”

Partially written and recorded during lockdown, it’s no surprise that current circumstances have been assimilated into its themes. It’s especially evident in ‘The Gift’, which evolves from a sparse introduction into a resonant Middle-Eastern sonic motif. It imagines Covid-19 as the first weapon that the planet deploys in order to eradicate mankind and once again flourish.

While anger and vengeance rage in its opening chapters, ‘Intruder’ charts a wider spectrum of emotions. ‘Is This World Not Enough’ and ‘A Black Sun’ exude regret and then despair that this fate could’ve been avoided. The finale presents a black-hearted double-bill to bring the curtain down on the tale. First ‘Now And Forever’ offers a hope of eternity in the end days during its theatrical intensity, before the sparse, sorrowful ‘The End Of Dragons’ ends on the chilling reminder that what’s broken can’t always be fixed.

Gary Numan has released a huge catalogue of work. His impact on electronic music has been hailed by Prince, David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails and remains impactful today, with Kanye West and Lady Gaga both crediting him as an influence.

Gary Numan
Intruder
tracklist

Betrayed
The Gift
I Am Screaming
Intruder
Is This World Not Enough
A Black Sun
The Chosen
And It Breaks Me Again
Saints And Liars
Now And Forever
The End of Dragons
When You Fall (bonus track on deluxe CD, vinyl and digital formats)
The End of Dragons (alt piano)’ (bonus track on vinyl and digital formats)

Pre-order Intruder by Gary Numan here