Yann Tiersen Shares Two Tracks from New Announced Album

Yann Tiersen has announced the release of his highly anticipated new album, Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour, that is due out on vinyl, CD and digitally on April 4, 2025 via Mute. 

Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour is an album divided into two distinct, interconnected parts, each with its own unique sonic characteristics: Rathlin from a Distance is eight tracks of introspective instrumental piano, The Liquid Hour is an expansive, genre-defying blend of electronic and psychedelic rhythms.

In conjunction with the album announcement, Tiersen is releasing two new tracks, one from each section of the album. “Rathlin from a Distance” is a meditation on identity that highlights Tiersen’s exceptional piano playing. “Ninnog at Sea” is an electronic anthem blending Tiersen’s seafaring reflections into a track that pulses with rage, hope and the call to dismantle and rebuild for a radiant collective future. “Ninnog at Sea” comes accompanied by a video directed by long term artistic collaborator, Murat Gokmen.

Tiersen explains, “There is something transformative about being at sea. Away from the noise and weight of the world, you are left with the raw, untamed forces of nature - and yourself. It is a space where you can begin to challenge your beliefs, your identity, your gender - even the person you thought you were. I began to shed the expectations, constructs, and roles that society places on us. The waves demand honesty.” He continues, “Rathlin from a Distance is born of this experience. Each piano piece is tied to a place we visited, but also to a moment of meditation. They are maps to the self. They are meant to guide you to the core of who you are - not the version of yourself molded by societal expectations. It is a call to connect, to be vulnerable, and to find solace in the authenticity that comes from facing the forces around - and within - you.”

Tiersen explains how an experience at the helm of his sailboat, with Belfast glimmering in the distance, informed these five tracks that make up The Liquid Hour, “I think of the bruises left by systems grinding against us, I feel the fury bubble up - ancient, raw, electric. It burns through me. The water becomes a mirror to my rage. And hope. There’s a war to wage against the choking vines of capitalism, binding our roots, stealing our light. It’s a wipe-out of everything that’s broken. A rebuilding, hand in hand, heart to heart, until there’s no room left for despair. I feel it swelling inside me, this energy, this urge to act, to gather, to shout, to rise. Because the future doesn’t wait. It’s there - blinding, brilliant, gender-fluid, shimmering with brightness. This is for you. With your hope and your rage. For all of us, for what’s coming, for what we’ll build together. The soundtrack to our uprising.”

Rathlin from a Distance features eight instrumental piano pieces, each named after a location Tiersen visited during his 2023 sailing tour. From the Atlantic’s Fastnet Lighthouse to the Faroe Islands, Shetland, and the tranquil waters of the Caledonian Canal in Scotland, these tracks reflect a journey of self-discovery and self. Tiersen’s piano work creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere, each stop on the journey marking a deeper level of consciousness. The music evokes a sense of space, introspection, and quiet contemplation.

While Rathlin from a Distance is meditative, The Liquid Hour, which Tiersen was working on when he decided things needed to be torn down, is a bold and urgent musical statement, which opens with an epic, sweeping track that channels Tiersen’s desire for social and political change. The inspiration for this section of the album was rooted in Tiersen’s experiences at sea, particularly a moment when he gazed upon the lights of Belfast, alone at the helm of his sailboat in the middle of the night, after nearly two months at sea. This moment of serenity led to deep reflections on the city’s troubled history and its connection to broader political struggles. The expansive sonic palette of The Liquid Hour blends atmospheric ambient music, hypnotic grooves, and striking electronic instrumentation, with the haunting vocals of Émilie Quinquis adding a powerful dimension to the album’s message.

Tiersen’s innovative use of vintage and electronic instruments - including the Ondioline, a rare 1930s electronic instrument loaned to him by Gotye’s Forgotten Futures organization - adds a rich texture to the recordings. He also employed four different drum machines to create tribal rhythms and pulsing beats that push the boundaries of electronic music. The Liquid Hour is an exploration of both personal and collective power, a call to action set against the backdrop of global crises.

Tiersen has long embraced sustainability in his touring practices, opting to travel by sailboat and campervan in order to embrace slow touring and minimize his environmental impact, re-writing the script for what it means to be a touring musician in the modern age. This approach embodies the album’s broader themes of reflection, environmental awareness and the search for deeper meaning in a world defined by crisis and change. “At sea, you get to see the world as it is,” says Tiersen. “The sea is the ultimate reality. There are no borders, and you can go everywhere. It really hits home the bulls of borders.”

The Liquid Hour culminates with a powerful closing track named after Dolores Ibárruri, the Spanish anti-fascist, known for her legendary "¡No Pasarán!" speech, a defiant call for action against capitalism, post-colonialism and the ongoing ecocide. As Tiersen puts it, “It’s not about anger. It’s about finding a way to change.”

Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour is an album that spans the full spectrum of human emotion, from introspective reflection to powerful calls for change. With a unique blend of acoustic and electronic elements, it marks a bold new chapter in Yann Tiersen’s musical evolution.

Photo credit: Aurélie Scouarnec

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