U2 made 'Sci-Fi Irish Folk Music' with Brian Eno

U2's next album could be something of another sonic left turn, if comments from founding guitarist The Edge are to be believed.

The veteran guitarist has spoken BBC Radio 2 Jo while on Monday (November 25) to discuss his recent release How to put an atomic bomb back togethera 20-year compilation of unreleased tracks and rarities from the 2004 album, How to defuse an atomic bomb.

During the chat, The Edge turned his attention to recent creative endeavors from the Irish outfit, explaining that he and frontman Bono had recently been in the studio with ambient pioneer (and former collaborator) Brian Eno, working on some “ crazy new music.”

“Bono and I are working on some crazy kind of Irish folk sci-fi,” he explained. “Which could be part of the new U2 album. We're not sure yet, we'll see.”

“Part of our process is to get so far away from the track, and kind of the process of getting things back on track is how you get unique sounding music.”

Adding that “a bunch [of] handsome, Irish musicians' could also be involved in the process, the guitarist's comments indicate a huge change in the band's sound compared to what it has been recently. Their latest album of new material, Songs of experiencearrived in 2017, with 2023 Songs of tradition arriving as a sequel despite the fact that it consisted of new recordings of previously released songs.

However, in 2023, Bono explained that a “noisy, uncompromising, unapologetic” rock album would be their next project, seemingly shelving it. Songs of the ascentwhich he had teased for more than a decade.

“I don't think people are waiting for the next U2 album,” Bono said album-interview/” rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>Mojo. “I think we have to give them a reason to care about it. I just want to write great tunes because that's where U2 started – with big choruses, clear ideas. And let's get back there, but do it with some gasoline and some matches.”

At another point in his conversation with BBCThe Edge also turned his attention to the return of drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who missed U2's 40-year residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas from 2023 to 2024 while recovering from surgery.

“We're in this great phase where we don't have to overthink it, we're just making music and loving the process,” noted The Edge. “And then we'll figure out where things belong after that so there are a few different projects.

“Definitely U2, with Larry who's great, we've got him in the studio,” he continues. “He's good, he's taking it easy, but he's back in the saddle on drums and still recording with us so we'll be doing a bit more of that before the end of the year.”