Something of a sonic hermit, Pictish Trail has spent the past few years tucked away in his caravan on the Hebridean isle of Eigg, feverishly working on the follow up to Secret Soundz Vol. 1&2, his critically-acclaimed double album of DIY electronic folk-tinged croft pop, released in 2014. Now Spring has sprung, Pictish has emerged with a new clutch of songs, his most confident and accomplished sounding yet.
After more ponderous digital teasing than Radiohead reinvented as overweight sexcam exhibitionists (eeew), it is finally, finally time for us to bring to you - *drumroll* - the new single by Pictish Trail ... 'FAR GONE (DON'T LEAVE)' ...
The song is called 'Far Gone (Don't Leave)' and it's the first music from what will be the Trail's third album, which is due for release in the late summer. It premiered this morning via The 405, and is now available to stream on all digital services (that's yer iSpotitidaldeezertunes and what have you etc). There's a video in the works as well which, as hinted at by the still image above, is a kind of camp, low-rent western isles-based trippy action movie featuring explosions and lots of shots of Johnny running (all done using state-of-the-art CGI, especially the running parts). Coming spring 2016.
Below is a basic precis of the J Meister's live commitments in coming months, which begin with a tour together with Malcolm Middleton - whom Johnny will both support and perform with as a member of his band - before continuing into the autumn, come which time Pictish will perform among other dates a newly-announced special full band headline show at Moth Club in London on Tuesday, October 4. You can buy tickets for all 'dem shows now at the following links.
The eagle-eyed among you will notice that Lost Map's Howlin' Fling is among Johnny's dates, making him the first artist formally announced for this summer's Eigg soirée, though that can't come as much of a surprise being as he lives there and organises the festival and stuff. We will be announcing the full Howlin' Fling line-up - including a few actual suprises - very soon, so keep yer peepers peeled.
PICTISH TRAIL LIVE:
WED, MAY 25 @ LEMON TREE, ABERDEEN* [TICKETS]
THU, MAY 26 @ BEAT GENERATOR LIVE, DUNDEE* [TICKETS]
FRI, MAY 27 @ THE ART SCHOOL, GLASGOW* [TICKETS]
SAT, MAY 28 @ ELECTRIC CIRCUS, EDINBURGH* [TICKETS]
TUE, MAY 31 @ SAGE, GATESHEAD* [TICKETS]
WED, JUN 1 @ THE BULLINGDON, OXFORD* [TICKETS]
THU, JUN 2 @ THE LEXINGTON, LONDON* [TICKETS]
FRI, JUN 3 @ LEAF, LIVERPOOL* [TICKETS]
SAT, JUN 4 @ DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER* [TICKETS]
THU, JUN 9 @ XPO NORTH, INVERNESS [INFO]
JUN 10-12 @ LONG DIVISION FESTIVAL, WAKEFIELD [TICKETS]
FRI, JUL 1 @ LOST MAP'S HOWLIN' FLING FESTIVAL, ISLE OF EIGG [SOLD OUT]
FRI, JUL 15 @ LARMER TREE FESTIVAL, DORSET [TICKETS]
SAT, AUG 20 @ GREEN MAN FESTIVAL, WALES [TICKETS]
TUE, OCT 4 @ THE MOTH CLUB, LONDON [TICKETS] - JUST ADDED!
*WITH MALCOLM MIDDLETON