Ben Howard to Release New Album 'Is It?' in June

Ben Howard will release his fifth studio album, Is It?, on June 16. It marks his first release since experiencing two mini strokes (TIAs) last year. Produced by Bullion (Westerman, Nilüfer Yanya, Orlando Weeks), the LP is a lush, sonically splintered album which captures Howard working through those moments of seismic shift.

Today he shares the album's first single and lead track, "Couldn't Make It Up" and says, "I found it impossible not to dwell on the absurdity of it, that with one tiny clot, one can lose all faculties. It really ate into the writing of the record."

In March 2022, Ben Howard was sitting in his garden when he found himself unable to think clearly, form sentences or speak for almost an hour. A month later, after the same thing happened again, the Ivor Novello Award-winning singer-songwriter learned he'd suffered two TIAs (transient ischemic attacks - known as mini-strokes). "It was out of the blue," says the 35 year-old. "It was a confusing time."

That June, after a month of inconclusive hospital tests Howard and his band decamped to Le Manoir de Léon, where they'd previously worked on his acclaimed third album Noonday Dream. "We went in and put down ten songs in ten days," Howard says, "We worked through the heatwave, the air conditioning broke, after what had happened I was so tired in the afternoons that I slept a lot. We just played solidly and slept, there was no time for retrospection."

The album's striking artwork (see below) was designed by Portuguese graphic design and illustrator Bráulio Amado. Pre-order Is It? here.

Next month, Ben kicks off a UK and European tour in Madrid at La Riviera on the May 18, hitting cities through Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and the UK including an already sold-out show at London's new Alexandra Palace Park on July 22. A new date at London's Royal Albert Hall is now announced for June 1. Tickets go on general sale from Friday 28th April at 10am BST.

Tickets for all headline dates are on sale now via www.benhowardmusic.co.uk

Ben Howard Live:

5/18/23 - La Riviera - Madrid

5/19/23 - Santana 27 - Bilbao

5/20/23 - Palacio de Congresos - Santiago de Compostela

5/22/23 - Coliseu Lisboa - Lisbon

5/23/23 - Coliseu Porto - Porto

5/25/23 - Razzmatazz - Barcelona

5//26/23 - Le Rocher de Palmer - Bordeaux

6/1/23 - Royal Albert Hall, - London *NEW DATE - On sale Friday 28th April at 10am*

6/15/23 - Fairview Park - Dublin

6/17/23 - Piknik I Parken - Oslo, Norway

6/19/23 - Carré Theatre - Amsterdam SOLD OUT

6/20/23 - Carré Theatre - Amsterdam SOLD OUT

6/21/23 - Phil Haarlem - Netherlands

6/30/23 - Rock Werchter - Werchter

7/1/23 - On The Mount At Wasing - Berkshire

7/2/23 - Down the Rabbit Hole - Beuningen

7/4/23 - Philarmonie de Paris - Paris

7/6/23 - Arena Wien - Vienna

7/7/23 - Pohoda Festival - Trenčín

7/9/23 - Sexto 'Nplugged - Sesto Al Reghena

7/11/23 - Žluté Lázně - Prague

7/12/23 - Progresja Summer Stage - Warsaw

7/14/23 - Zitadelle - Berlin

7/15/23 - Stadtpark - Hamburg

7/17/23 - Tonhalle - Munich

7/18/23 - X-Tra - Zurich

7/21/23 - SWG3 Yard - Glasgow

7/22/23 - Alexandra Palace Park - London SOLD OUT

7/23/23 - Cardiff Castle, Cardiff

8/11/23 - Boardmasters - Newquay

8/27/23 - Victorious Festival - Portsmouth

Photo by Toby Coulson