More about: Alt-J

The final single ahead of new alt-J album The Dream has just dropped. 'The Actor' follows 'Hard Drive Gold', 'U&ME' and 'Get Better' as the fourth taste of a new sound for the trio who originated at Leeds Uni.

'The Actor' has some of the near-nonsensical vocal runs we've come to know and love from alt-J, but the energy of this four-minute single is absolutely in the canon of The Dream with its new sounds (spaghetti western licks) and completeness as a vignette.

It might sound fluffy, but 'The Actor' is anything but: “Hollywood, 1982. Another hopeful young movie star arrives in search of The Dream. What follows is a tale of desperation, drugs and death in LA’s most famous hotel. It’s ‘The Actor’.”

Friday's The Dream is, we wrote in our review, "feels like a stepping into the light of sorts".

The Dream Tracklist:

See alt-J on tour:

FEBURARY

25 - Pittsburgh, Petersen Event Center
26 - Washington DC, The Anthem

MARCH

01 - Nashville, Nashville Municipal Auditorium
02 - Atlanta, State Farm Arena
04 - Tampa, Yengling Center
05 - Hollywood FL, Hard Rock Live
06 - Orlando, Orlando Amphitheater
09 - Dallas, The Factory in Deep Ellum
12 - Austin, Germania Insurance Amphitheater
13 - Houston, White Oak Music Hall
15 - St Louis, Chaifetz Arena
16 - Detroiy, Masonic Temple Detroiy
19 - Chicago, Credit Union 1 Arena
20 - Minnepaolis, The Armory
23 - Denver, 1STBANK Center
25 - San Diego, Pechanga Arena San Diego
26 - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Bowl
27 - Los Angeles, Staples Center
29 - Seattle, Wamu Theater
30 - Vancouver, Pacific Coliseum

APRIL

01 - San Francisco, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
03 - Las Vegas, The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
05 - Salt Lake City, UCCU Center
07 - Kansas City, Cable Dahmer Arena
08 - Cincinnati, PromoWest Pavillion at Ovation
09 - Columbus, Schottenstein Center
11 - New York, Madison Square Garden
13 - Philadelphia, TC Pavilion at The Mann
14 - Boston, Agganis Arena
15 - Montreal, Place Bell
17 - Toronto, Coca-Cola Coliseum

MAY

07 - Glasgow, Barrowland Ballroom
09 - Leeds, O2 Academy
13 - Manchester, O2 Apollo
18 - London, O2 Academy Brixton
22 - Dublin, Olympia Theatre
25 - Belfast, The Telegraph Building
27 - Birmingham, O2 Academy

The Dream arrives 11 February via Infectious/BMG. 

Issue Four of the Gigwise Print magazine is on pre-order now! Order here.

More about: Alt-J