The Walkmen announce new Heaven LP

Aside from having a name that stirs memories of the 90s, a simpler time when cassettes were the norm and the Walkman a revolution, THE WALKMEN are also an indie rock band to get excited about for the raucous, guttural music they've been making for over a decadeAfter a short hiatus, their new long player Heaven is due for release on June 8 though Inertia, for which the band have released a taster. If this two-minute snippet is indicative of what's to come, we're in for a more subdued sound from the band that penned the angry indie anthem 'The Rat'. Less pummelled skins, more strings – a repeated electric guitar riff, haunting in its simplicity.

The album was produced by Phil Ek, who has Fleet Foxes and The Shins on his impressive resume. The band's lead singer, Hamilton Leithauser, feels that The Walkmen have matured and tightened their kinship, which can be heard on their latest offering. They certainly are turning heads again, as the band were asked to headline the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Festival, curated by highly respected band The National.

Their previous LP Lisbon was a favourite of Pitchfork's and received widespread critical acclaim. To follow this smash hit, the New Yorkers have put together another just two years later, with a hand from exciting names like Ek. Here's to hearing the amazing sounds curated in their studio in the woods surrounding Seattle.

Words by Rebecca McCann