Franz Ferdinand have today announced a new album for 2025. The Human Fear will be released by Domino on January 10, 2025.
The first track from the album is ‘Audacious,‘ which may be seen below. The video was directed by long-time Franz collaborator Andy Knowles and filmed at the famous Barrowland in Glasgow, over the years the scene of many a celebratory ‘homecoming’ gig for the band. Talking about the track singer Alex Kapranos said:
“It’s about having an audacious response when you feel the fabric of existence come undone around you. Being bold, contrary. Peering over the edge into the eternity of non-existence and saying Aye! Fuck it! Not today thank you!‘”
Knowles added: “After listening to ‘Audacious’ for the first time it immediately felt like a song which needed a celebration of a video. I wanted to build on the jocular approach we took for ‘Curious’ in 2022, contrasting some of the more sombre moments of life with an explosion of fun when you look at things through an ‘audacious’ lens.“
The track listing of the album is as follows:
1. Audacious
2. Everyday Dreamer
3. The Doctor
4. Hooked
5. Build It Up
6. Night Or Day
7. Tell Me I Should Stay
8. Cats
9. Black Eyelashes
10. Bar Lonely
11. The Birds
The Human Fear will be available on Deluxe LP, LP, CD and cassette and can be pre-ordered HERE. The Deluxe LP is housed in a gatefold sleeve, printed on a matte UV finish, with an 8 page lyric booklet featuring exclusive imagery of the band recording the album in AYR Studios, Scotland. The vinyl itself is pressed on orange BioVinyl which is 100% recyclable and can be utilised in the circular economy. The exclusive Demo LP features never-before heard early demos of the album.
Speaking about the album, Kapranos explained: “Making this record was one of the most life-affirming experiences I’ve had, but it’s called The Human Fear. Fear reminds you that you’re alive. I think we all are addicted in some way to the buzz it can give us. How we respond to it shows how we are human. So here’s a bunch of songs searching for the thrill of being human via fears. Not that you’d necessarily notice on first listen.“
The band will be playing a number of live dates across the world over the next six months, details of which may be found here. These include headline dates in March at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on March 5th and at Glasgow Barrowland on March 7th. Tickets will be on sale from the band’s website from September 18th.
