Two years after their self-titled debut LP, New York City band Drowners are gearing up to release the follow-up, On Desire. Their first go-around gained them plenty of attention and momentum, having booked tours with Temples and Skaters, as well as high-profile appearances at festivals such as Governor's Ball, Great Escape, and Coachella. They've been laying low since, save for a handful of public appearances, and the album reflects their relative solitude following a year on the road.
Remarks by frontman Matt Hitt from Noisey's album announcement:
"On Desire was recorded in about a month late last year with Claudius Mittendorfer [Interpol, Ash, Muse]," explains Hitt. "The writing process was a lot more collaborative this time around and I think the result is sort of a truer reflection of who we are as a group. After writing dozens of songs, editing, re-arranging, etc… what came out of us is this dark pop record. If the first record was about us roaming around downtown bars, discovering NYC, then this one is more reflective… think of us locked in a dark room wondering what the hell’s going on outside.
"'Cruel Ways' was one of the first songs written for the album. There was this Harold Pinter quote I read a couple of years ago that said, 'I think we communicate only too well, in our silence, in what is unsaid, and that what takes place is a continual evasion…' I kept thinking about it and the kind of anxiety and/or paranoia that comes from things that are unsaid. In retrospect, this ended up becoming a major lyrical theme for the record."
Pre-order the album now on iTunes, or wait for physical release via Frenchkiss Records this June in your local shop.