Rumours have been swirling for a while, but it’s now confirmed: Big Thief will release a 20-track album called Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You on February 11 through 4AD.
It was recorded over four separate sessions in quite different locations.
The first session was in upstate New York in summer 2020, recording with Sam Evian at his Flying Cloud Recordings on 8-track tape machine. We’ve already heard “Certainty” and “Sparrow” from this time.
The second session was at California’s Topanga Canyon, with Shawn Everett on the boards. Fruits of this session include “Little Things” and today’s new offering “Time Escaping”.
Session three saw them take to the Colorado Rockies and re-team with Dom Monks, who produced U.F.O.F. and Two Hands. “Change” was born of this era.
Finally, the band set up camp in Tucson, Arizona to work at Scott McMicken’s home studio. They also invited in Mat Davidson of Twain to play fiddle and add vocals – the first person outside of the core four to play on a Big Thief record. We’re yet to hear anything from these sessions.
On Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You as a whole, Adrianne Lenker says:
“One of the things that bonds us together as a band is pure magic. I think we all have the same guide and none of us have ever spoken what it is because we couldn’t name it, but somehow, we are all going for the same thing, and when we hit it… we all know it’s it, but none of us to this day, or maybe ever, will be able to articulate in words what the ‘it’ is. Something about it is magic to me.”
Listen to “Time Escaping” below or on streaming platforms.
Big Thief’s Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You comes out on February 11 through 4AD (pre-order/save). The track list is:
1. Change
2. Time Escaping
3. Spud Infinity
4. Certainty
5. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
6. Sparrow
7. Little Things
8. Heavy Bend
9. Flower of Blood
10. Blurred View
11. Red Moon
12. Dried Roses
13. No Reason
14. Wake Me up to Drive
15. Promise Is a Pendulum
16. 12,000 Lines
17. Simulation Swarm
18. Love Love Love
19. The Only Place
20. Blue Lightning