Australian electro pop duo Collarbones (Marcus Whale and Travis Cook) are set to release their fourth studio album Futurity on Friday 6 September, ahead of tour dates in Sydney and Melbourne later in the month.

Futurity delves into the ideas of devotion and a romantic hope for the future across a 13-track undertaking of enveloping highs and fragile lows. Morphing between brooding electronic heavy-hitters and intimate ballads, the record captures the wealth of expertise the highly-praised collaborators share in their most ambitious, genre-pushing release to date.

Marcus Whale explains: "Futurity is a term used in Cruising Utopias by late queer theorist Jose Esteban Munoz, a text held dear by many queers. For me, it's a rejection of the flatness of the present for a field of potentiality that illuminates us with other ways of being. It’s this imaginary space to which I return when I try to unpack my romantic instincts."

The LP gently awakens with solo piano number “Church”, a sultry declaration of devotion and commitment in the early stages of a new romance. Widely acclaimed single “A.I.” is undoubtedly the attention seeker on the album, a punchy electronic piece that reflects on Whale’s early online dating experience and its influence on his musical direction. Served with heavenly vocals, “Skylight” booms a loose re-telling of the story of Saint Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, followed in stark contrast by another beautifully composed piano ballad, “Haunted”.

The pulse is brought back in with recent favourite “Voyeur” and a reflection on pursuing sensuality and sexuality in the moment, before the drum and bass-influenced beat of “Momentary” takes things up another notch. “Everything I Want” is described by Whale as the emotional core of the album, capturing the concept of futurity in an indie rock style that uncovers a new side to the duo’s musical repertoire.

“The Gate”, a brief piano short, is a delicate respite before the dirty bass line of new single “Deep”crashes back in. Title track “Futurity” showcases a flair for expansive soundscapes echoing the fruits of their greatest singles, before catchy pop track “Heavy” proves one of the darkest on the album as the duo confront the fear of early moments in a relationship. “Wish Me Luck” feat. Banoffee soon tackles the messy ending of an ugly entanglement with melancholy synths and a warping beat. Wrapping up the album, a final solo piano track “Lotion” embraces the possibility of love and the excitement of what’s to come.

Collarbones will return to the stage later in the month to tour their latest collaborations with two headline shows. Joined by Darcy Baylis (live) and Spunkgunk (DJ) at Melbourne’sThe Curtin on Saturday 21 September, they will back things up at Sydney'sThe Lansdowne on Friday 27 September alongside support from Rainbow Chan (live) and Rebel Yell (DJ).

Receiving praise from The Guardian, Acclaim, Junkee, i-D, Purple Sneakers and more, Collarbones’ handful of recent singles have collectively laid the foundations for their illustrious return following a two-year release hiatus. The culmination of a new phase in the longstanding interstate partnership, their fourth album marks their first full length release in five years since 2014’s modern electronic-pop masterpiece Return.

Having collaborated for 11 years since meeting on a post-rock online message board, the duo are known by fans for their incredible stage shows. Having now released four albums of sinewy electronic pop music across their career, the pair are seasoned performers in any venue that comes their way, performing across Australia in packed club nights, seated theatres and festival stages, including an appearance at Flume’s Vivid Live headline show at Sydney Opera House and Los Angeles’ FYF Fest.

Laying down their most fundamental selves in the stirring emotional journey of Futurity, Collarbones have arguably honed their greatest sound yet. Don’t miss the chance to experience the immersive LP live this September.

‍

Click HERE to listen to 'FUTURITY'

‍