Unknown Mortal Orchestra announces the release of their double album V, due March 17th via Jagjaguwar. Conceived in Palm Springs, California between the dry freeways and the lush coastline of Hilo, Hawaii, V is led by Hawaiian-New Zealand musician Ruban Nielson. Today UMO also share the single, “Layla,” along with an accompanying cinematic video, directed by Vira-Lata, that serves as part one of a two part series documenting the adventures of two young women, here. In October of 2022, the group set the stage for the album with the first taste of V — “I Killed Captain Cook” — with a video featuring Nielson’s mother, Deedee Aipolani Nielson, Miss Aloha Hula 1973.

With V, UMO’s first double album, Nielson reframes and enriches the road that led him to this moment. During the pandemic’s early days, Nielson’s brother Kody flew from New Zealand to Palm Springs to help him with his recordings. One of their Hawaiian uncles began displaying health issues, and Nielson realized he was facing a sharper and more acute sense of mortality. To be with him, he put aside his recordings and helped his mother and another of her brothers move from New Zealand and Portland, respectively, to Hawai’i. He reunited with his brother at his cousin’s wedding in Hawai’i and together they traveled back to Palm Springs, where the fourteen singalong anthems, cinematic instrumentals, and mischievous pop songs in V were brought together with the help of his father, Chris Nielson (saxophone/flute), and longstanding UMO member Jake Portrait.

“In Hawaii, everything shifted off of me and my music,” Nielson said. “Suddenly, I was spending more time figuring out what others need and what my role is within my family. I also learned that things I thought were true of myself are bigger than I thought. My way of making mischief – that’s not just me – that’s my whole Polynesian side. I thought I was walking away from music to focus on family, but the two ended up connecting.”

Unknown Mortal Orchestra
V
Jagjaguwar

1. The Garden
2. Guilty Pleasures
3. Meshuggah
4. The Widow
5. In The Rear View
6. That Life
7. Layla
8. Shin Ramyun
9. Weekend Run
10. The Beach
11. Nadja
12. Keaukaha
13. I Killed Captain Cook
14. Drag

Unknown Mortal Orchestra 2023 Tour Dates

3/20 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House
3/21 – Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
3/22 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
3/22-26 – Boise, ID @Treefort Music Festival
3/25 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre
3/27 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
3/28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
3/29 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
3/31 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
4/1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
4/2 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
4/4 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
4/5 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
4/6 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
4/7 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
4/8 – Chicago, IL @ Radius
4/10 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
4/11 – Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
4/13 – New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
4/14 – New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
4/15 – New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
4/18 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
4/19 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
4/21 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
4/22 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
5/28 – Brussels, Belgium @ Core Festival
5/30 – Bexhill, UK @ De La Warr Pavilion
5/31 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
6/15 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
6/16 – Leeds, UK @ Stylus
6/17 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 Galvanizers

Pre-order V by Unknown Mortal Orchestra HERE