James Vincent McMorrow reveals first single,Cavalier, from his forthcoming second album Cavalier

James Vincent McMorrow has unveiled the first single from his forthcoming second album. The beautiful ‘Cavalier’ precedes the release of ‘Post Tropical’ on January 13 via Believe Recordings in the UK and Vagrant Records in the US (The Hold Steady, PJ Harvey, Edward Sharpe). A European tour has also been confirmed for the New Year, including a headline London show at the Barbican (January 26).

Wiping the palate of McMorrow’s debut album, ‘Early in the Morning’, clean, ‘Post Tropical’ is a stunning piece of work. Its broadened horizons may come as a surprise to everyone but James and the people who know him best. “I found a zip drive recently, which dates back to before I made my first record, and I’d re-recorded every single part of the N.E.R.D album - apart from the vocals - just for the joy of it. I wanted to give this record the feel and movement of the hip-hop records that I love.”

It’s a step forward that is immediately apparent on album opener and first single ‘Cavalier’ – a brooding twist on the Slow-Jam, which builds quietly from hushed keys and hand-claps to soaring brass, drums and McMorrow’s idiosyncratic falsetto. ‘Cavalier’ was recorded, together with the album as a whole, on a pecan farm half a mile from the Mexican border, where the low frequencies of passing freight trains vibrated in the studio, briefly disturbing the birds in the rafters.

A trailer featuring new music from ‘Post Tropical’ has also debuted, signalling a trilogy of short films directed by Aoife Mcardle (Jon Hopkins, Anna Calvi, Simian Mobile Disco). Meanwhile, James has confirmed the following UK and Ireland shows for 2014. .

January 24                        Manchester                   Manchester Cathedral

January 25                    Bristol                           St George’s

January 26                    London                         Barbican Centre

           January 28                    Glasgow                       Celtic Connections @ City Hall

January 30                    Galway                         Seapoint

January 31                    Cork                             Cork Opera House

February 1                    Limerick                        University Concert Hall

February 2                    Kilkenny                        The Set Theatre

February 4                    Dublin                           National Concert Hall