THE THE, have today shared a stunning video for ‘Cognitive Dissident’, the first track to be taken from the recently announced ‘Ensoulment’, their first studio album of new songs in a quarter century out on Cinéola / earMUSIC on Friday 6th September 2024. The video was made in conjunction with long-time collaborators: directed by Tim Pope with editing, VFX and projections by Vicki Bennett (People Like Us) and Peter Knight.
THE THE and Tim Pope have a long, shared history working on a variety of videos and projects, including the film of the 2018 ‘The Comeback Special’ concert at Royal Albert Hall (which featured as part of the multi-media box-set of the same name in 2021), the legendary ‘Infected The Movie’ in 1987 – the first ever long-form video album release – the ‘Versus The World’ film of the concert at Royal Albert Hall in 1999, and ‘From Dusk ‘Til Dawn’ in 1993, as well as many music videos over the years including ‘Pillar Box Red’, ‘The Beat(en) Generation’, ‘Kingdom of Rain’, ‘Gravitate To Me’ etc.
Watch the music video for ‘Cognitive Dissident’ HERE
Vicki Bennett (People Like Us), acclaimed video collage artist, and Peter Knight (photographer) have also long been associated with THE THE having worked on the videos for ‘We Can’t Stop What’s Coming’ and the ‘Stolen Moments’ remix of ‘GlobalEyes’ by DJ Food as well as creating the kaleidoscopic, cinematic backdrop for The Comeback Special world tour.
“It’s always a pleasure to work with my dear friends, director Tim Pope, video collage artist Vicki Bennett, and photographer Peter Knight. Our times working together are not only very creative, but also full of laughter.”
-Matt Johnson
‘Cognitive Dissident’, written by Matt Johnson and Barrie Cadogan, is already available on DSPs and will also be available tomorrow, Friday 7th June, as a limited edition 7” featuring the previously unreleased B-side ‘When Is The Heart Of Waiting’.
Additionally, the single cover features a previously unpublished work of Matt Johnson’s late brother Andrew (AKA artist Andy Dog) who, over the years, was very much responsible for the distinctive aesthetic style of THE THE’s releases.
Access ‘Cognitive Dissident’ HERE
‘Ensoulment’ itself contains echoes of THE THE’s multi-faceted musical past, however it is richly representative of the mercurial band’s here and now. Johnson is characteristically unafraid to tackle the emotional complexity inherent in the human condition – intimacy in an age of alienation; democracy in a post-truth age; empire and vassalage; and the inexorable rise of AI – yet the album is equally shot through with hope.
Access the new album ‘Ensoulment’ HERE
“It’s vital to be hopeful,” Johnson states. “And I hope people get out of the album what we put into it. It was created under very happy circumstances, with a great vibe amongst the band and all the people that worked on it. There was a lot of thought, a lot of work, a lot of love, a lot of laughter!”
Ensoulment will be available in retail as Ltd CD Hardcover Media Book, CD Jewelcase, Black 2 LP gatefold and Crystal Clear 2 LP gatefold. Further exclusive formats are available from the official album pre-order store.
THE THE also recently announced another world tour, commencing September 2024, the band’s first since their hugely successful The Comeback Special world tour in 2018. Even before the announcement of ‘Ensoulment’, the Ensouled world tour has been selling out fast.
Ensouled world tour venues and ticket links to date (including Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) found HERE.
About THE THE:
THE THE was formed by Matt Johnson in 1979 and the music inhabits a genre of its own: music of long shadows, high hopes, channelled anger, feverish passions and sweetly disturbing poignancy. It is pop and rock, blues and folk, soul and polemic. It spans alienated electronics to twisted cinematic soundtracks, guitar tumbling swing to crimson ballads, rants and prayers to diaries and hymns.
In over four decades, THE THE have released just five studio albums of original songs – ‘Soul Mining’ (1983), ‘Infected’ (1986), ‘Mind Bomb’ (1989), ‘Dusk’ (1993) and ‘NakedSelf’ (2000). But always unpredictable, during this time THE THE have also made diversions into cover albums, such as Hanky Panky; film soundtracks including Hyena, Tony, Muscle and Moonbug; art installations; a podcast series, Radio Cinéola; a beautiful and moving 84-minute documentary, The Inertia Variations; and various book publications, including biography Long Shadows, High Hopes: The Life and Times of Matt Johnson & THE THE.