STEVEN WILSON's 'The Future Bites' Album Pushed Back To January 2021

Steven Wilson has pushed back the release date of his new studio album, "The Future Bites", to January 29, 2021 from the previously announced June 12 via Caroline International.

Wilson announced the delay in the LP's arrival in a social media post earlier today. He wrote: "As with many of my albums, 'The Future Bites' is not just about the music, it's a high concept project which involves design, artwork, video and a tour production, all on a grander scale than anything I've attempted before. However, due to the pandemic, there are unprecedented challenges, ranging from manufacturing issues (particularly in relation to the elaborate deluxe edition) and the uncertainty facing record stores as the coronavirus forces them to close their doors, to being unable to shoot most of the video material I planned. It's therefore with a very heavy heart that I reluctantly need to postpone the release of 'The Future Bites' until such time everything can happen as intended. This will now be January next year, with new music and video starting to be issued again around October. In the meantime the pre-order page for the various editions of the album will remain online, although I plan to take the deluxe edition off the site some time before it completely sells out, in order to give fans simply not in a position to purchase at the moment a chance to get it nearer the time. Meanwhile, myself, management, agent and promoters are monitoring the situation regarding the live shows scheduled for this autumn. Should events change we will let everyone know as soon as we do.

"I understand that this may be disappointing news, and to no one more that myself, believe me. I worked on the music and background of this project for the last two years and was thrilled to finally be able to launch it. The response to the 'Personal Shopper' track released last month has been phenomenal, and I was looking forward to unveiling more over the next few months in the build up to the release of the album. But alas due to the current circumstances it was not to be.

"I sincerely send everyone reading this a message of good health, and I hope that one day in the not too distant future we can once again focus on things like music, which even if it isn't strictly essential seems to somehow make life more worthwhile."

The follow-up to 2017's "To The Bone", "The Future Bites" was previously described in a press release as an exploration of how the human brain has evolved in the Internet era. As well as being Wilson's phenomenal sixth album, "The Future Bites" is also an online portal to a world of high concept design custom built for the ultra-modern consumer. Where "To The Bone" confronted the emerging global issues of post-truth and fake news, "The Future Bites" places the listener in a world of 21st century addictions. It's a place where ongoing, very public experiments constantly take place into the affects of nascent technology on our lives. From out-of-control retail therapy, manipulative social media and the loss of individuality, "The Future Bites" is less a bleak vision of an approaching dystopia, more a curious reading of the here and now.

Musically, "The Future Bites" gleams. Featuring gorgeous electronic sounds warped by human intervention ("King Ghost"),soaring acoustics that head straight upwards into the stratosphere ("12 Things I Forgot"),relentless bass-driven Motorik grooves ("Follower") and swampish, murky funk ("Eminent Sleaze"),it is Steven's most consistently brilliant work to date.

The album was recorded in London and co-produced by David Kosten and Steven Wilson.

The first single from the album, "Personal Shopper", can be streamed below.

"The Future Bites" track listing:

01. Unself
02. Self
03. King Ghost
04. 12 Things I Forgot
05. Eminent Sleaze
06. Personal Shopper
07. Man Of The People
08. Follower
09. Anyone But Me

Photo credit: Andrew Hobbs