PALE WAVES make their long-awaited return with news of their fourth album In love, which will be released on September 20 via Dirty Hit. The band also shared “Perfume”, the lead single from the album, released as a BBC Radio 1 Hottest Record.
Written between the US and the UK over a two-year period, Smitten finds the band reflecting on their northern roots. Unlike the rebellious pop punk sound of 2022 album Unwanted, this new record is full of vivid, catchy hooks, hard-hitting traps and jangly alt-pop that sounds straight out of her hometown of Manchester.
Lyrically, the album concerns itself with past lives, some more recent than others. Singer Heather Baron-Gracie found herself in a mental space where she could finally breathe and reflect, like flipping through the pages of a long-forgotten teenage diary and being surprised by what she found.
“I found myself writing not just about a certain period of time, but about my entire life from years ago.” Heather says. “When I fall in love, I fall deeply in love, and it's interesting to me that you can feel so fascinated and in love with someone and then become a complete stranger. So I feel like Smitten really summed up perfectly how I felt about others at a certain moment.”
a lot of In love It captures the excitement and euphoria of first queer relationships, some of which are accompanied by confusion and pain. On lead single “Perfume,” an infectious '80s anthem reminiscent of bands like The Cure and The Cranberries, Heather sings about being totally in love with one person: “My mother says that when I want something I never let go / Call me obsessed but I don't care as long as it's all mine.”
Speaking of “Perfume,” Heather says: “It's the perfect introduction to the new world we've created. It is queer, feminine and romantic, and sums up the essence of Smitten.”
Watch the video for “Perfume” BELOW:
Pale Waves is currently on tour in the US on a full tour with PVRIS. The band will return to the UK for some festival performances at Y Not, Kendal Calling and Neighborhood.
SMITTEN TRACK LIST
•Glasgow
• Not a love song
• Gravity
• Thinking of you
• Perfumes
• Last train home
• Kiss me again
• Miss America
• I hate hurting you
• See stars
• Imagination
• Slow
![PALE WAVES announce fourth album 'Smitten' and share lead single 'Perfume' 86 pale waves](https://musicindustry.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/PALE-WAVES-announce-fourth-album-39Smitten39-and-share-lead-single.png)
![PALE WAVES announce fourth album 'Smitten' and share lead single 'Perfume' 86 pale waves](https://musicindustry.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/PALE-WAVES-announce-fourth-album-39Smitten39-and-share-lead-single.png)
JUNE
Fri 14 INDIANAPOLIS, EN Egyptian Room @ Old National Center *
Saturday 15 CHICAGO, IL House Of Blues *
Sun 16 DETROIT, MI St Andrew's Hall *
Wednesday 19 TORONTO, AT The Danforth Music Hall *
Fri 21 BOSTON, MA House of Blues *
Saturday 22 PHILADELPHIA, PA Living Arts Theater *
Mon 24 NEW YORK, NY Irving Plaza *
Wednesday 26 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 Club *
Fri 28 NASHVILLE,TN Brooklyn Bowl *
Saturday 29 ATLANTA, GA Masquerade Paradise *
JULY
Mon 01 SAINT PETERSBURG, FL Jannus Live *
Saturday 06 AUSTIN, TX Emo's Austin *
Sun 07 DALLAS, TX House of Blues Cambridge Room *
Tuesday 09 PHOENIX, AZ The Van Burn *
Wednesday 10 SAN DIEGO, CA The North Observatory *
Fri 12 LOS ANGELES, CA The Wiltern *
Sat 20 SPAIN Benicassim Festival
AUGUST
Sat 03 DERBYSHIRE AND Non-Festival
Sun 04 KENDAL Call Festival
OCTOBER
Saturday 05 MANCHESTER Neighborhood Festival
with PVRIS *
thanks to our partners at www.xsnoize.com