NEWS: TOURIST — RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM U TODAY + TOURS NORTH AMERICA INCL. HANGOUT FEST

May 06, 2016 • Leave a Comment

photo credit: Stephanie Sian Smith

Today, London-based GRAMMY Award winning writer-producer William Phillips, AKA Tourist releases his long-awaited debut album U via Monday Records. His effervescent single "Run" has been out for a month, added to BBC's Radio 1, KCRW and Triple J playlists and peaked to #1 on the Hype Machine charts like the vast majority of his earlier EP tracks as well as "To Have You Back", "Wait" and "Waves" from incredible the debut U.

2015 saw Tourist perform at Coachella and Pitchfork Festival in France, tour through Europe and North America, make mixes for BBC Radio 1's Diplo & Friends and i-D Magazine, and receive critical acclaim from Pitchfork, who called his music "Anthemic" "Rich and complete," "Blended together with expert craftmanship" and NPR, FADER, the Guardian and many more, as well as winning a GRAMMY Award for Song of The Year as co-writer of Sam Smith's "Stay With Me".

2016 looks set to be no less busy, with UK/EU and North American live dates kicking off the day after the album release, including a sold out headline show at London’s XOYO on May 11th and festival appearances including Field Day, Wilderness, Bestival and the major festivals Hangout Festival, Lightning In A Bottle, Camp Bisco, Forecastle, Capitol Hill Block Party and New York's inaugural Panorama. Full dates are below and tickets are available here.

You could say the whole album is about love, not just "Run", taking you through the beginnings of a relationship to the parting of ways. It follows a clear path, with the track names telling the story from "To Have You Back" and "My Love" to "Too Late", "Foolish" and "For Sarah". The album was written over the course of several years and sees Phillips take a more stripped back approach following previous singles and EPs that saw features from vocalists including Lianne La Havas, Will Heard and Olly Alexander (Years & Years).

Tourist explains further, "This is an album that reflects on a relationship I had with someone. I called it U as the word ‘You' looks a bit accusatory, and the tone of this album certainly isn’t bitter – U is a shape that is balanced but also incomplete so I thought it was a nice visual metaphor for a failed relationship.

I wouldn’t describe this record as mournful or sorrow filled, merely a reflection on my first relationship. I’ve always recorded a lot of my life through my phone, and whilst writing the album I found a huge number of recordings that I had made whilst being in that relationship, so my ex’s voice is all over this record. Also the sounds of the places we lived and visited together form prominent backdrops to the music.

I don’t know how to describe it sonically, it’s not really body music, it’s just a story told through different tempos and sounds. I’m not channeling any specific scene or sound, just my thoughts and feelings. I don’t really understand the term “electronic music” but I suppose if pressed I’d call it that. I have zero interest in beats and scenes, I’m much more interested in stories. I feel as though this is the biggest lesson I learnt whilst writing this album, that I don’t write music to express myself but to enrich myself. It wasn’t until finishing this album that I could truly feel at peace with that chapter in my life.”

TOURIST LIVE:

May 07 - Dublin, Ireland @ Academy Green Room

May 09 - Glasgow, Scotland @ King Tut’s

May 10 - Manchester, England @ Deaf Institute

May 11 - London, England @ XOYO - SOLD OUT

May 12 - Brighton, England @ The Haunt

May 17 - Berlin, Germany @ Berghain

May 20-22 - Gulf Shores, AL @ Hangout Festival

May 25-30 - Lake San Antonio, CA @ Lightning In A Bottle

June 10 - Paris, France @ YOYO (Palais de Tokyo)

June 11-12 - London, England @ Field Day

June 17-20 - Dufur, OR @ What The Festival