"It's kinda surreal because it feels as fresh and as exciting as when we first started, but it's an adventure that's spanned 20 years," reflects Kahn Morbee of South Africa's biggest selling rock act The Parlotones who are set to release their eighth album China on June 28 via OK! Good Records. Their latest track 'Can You Feel It?' is a mammoth, yet fervent, alt rock jam that touches on the monumental "purpose of life" questions. Its accompanying video takes the viewer on a mind-bending, anxiety inducing, hallucinatory journey through one person's perspective throughout the city.
Having celebrated the 20th anniversary of their band last year, The Parlotones initially booked a week at the High Seas Studios in Johannesburg in 2018 to record three tracks. However, when they emerged four months later, they had twenty-five. The band initiated the creative process by working alongside two time Ivor Novello Award winner and Grammy-nominated songwriter Sacha Skarbek (best known for writing James Blunt's hit singles "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover" as well having worked with artists such as Adele, Lana Del Rey, Jason Mraz, Tears For Fears, and many more). Richard Archer (singer-songwriter, lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter of indie rock band Hard-Fi), as well as the English musician Sam Duckworth (Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly).
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The follow-up to 2015's Antiques and Artefacts, China blends monumental sounds and thrilling textures while touching on the deeper meaning of what it's like to be human. From the opening track "Antidote" with its cool 90s alternative vibes, to "Welcome The Wonderful In" - a down tempo electro number, to the cinematic album closer "Goodbye To The Show," China confronts listeners with 14 tracks that explore The Parlotones' diverse range that will undoubtedly bring in a new audience, yet stay true to their unique sound that has already won them over 900,000+ albums sales worldwide.
The Parlotones have toured extensively across the globe since 2007 and have played hundreds of shows and festivals including stops at T in the Park, V Fest, SXSW, and Canadian Music Week. They have also shared the stage with renown acts like Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Violent Femmes, andImagine Dragons. One of the band's many highlights came in 2009/2010 during their 'Stardust Galaxies' world tour as they sold out headline arena shows at the 20,000 capacity Coca Cola Dome in Johannesburg and the Grand West Arena in Cape Town. In 2010 the band also opened up the soccer World Cup, where they were broadcast to roughly 1 Billion people worldwide.
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