Bess Atwell announces new album 'Light Sleeper', produced by Aaron Dessner (The National), set for release May 24th through Real Kind Records + new single "Release Myself" out now
WATCH “RELEASE MYSELF” VIDEO HERE
London, February 13th - Following the release of her critically acclaimed LP ‘Already, Always’ in 2021, a release praised as one of the more impactful albums from that year (The Independent & Metro’s top 50 albums of the year), Brighton-based artist Bess Atwell announces her next full-length release ‘Light Sleeper’, showcased by the shimmering new single “Release Myself”.
Produced by The National’s Aaron Dressner (Taylor Swift, Ben Howard, Sharon Van Etten, Ed Sheeran), ‘Light Sleeper’ looks to continue the warm and effervescent aesthetic Bess Atwell has been cultivating for herself in recent years. Featuring the previously shared tracks ‘Sylvester’ and ‘The Weeping’, her newest offering sees her grow not only as a songwriter, but as one of this country’s more revered artists.
Speaking about ‘Light Sleeper’, she said, “Light Sleeper is about the willingness to feel. While writing the album, I was realising that somewhere along the line I had become very afraid of feeling. The record is about facing this realisation and finding the bravery to challenge it. It’s still hard for me to believe that I got to make this record with one of my heroes, but somehow, I got that lucky. Aaron Dessner posted about one of my songs on Instagram at the beginning of 2022. We got chatting on there and before I knew it, we’d made plans to meet up at All Points East and were discussing making a record together. He told me that Light Sleeper is the first album he’s worked on in several years that he didn’t write, which is a huge honour. My approach on Light Sleeper was to give up concern with what’s cool and to reconnect with why I make the things I make. I was afraid to really sing on my previous record, having come to believe it wasn’t cool or would draw attention to the fact that I am indeed an emotional woman and therefore not to be taken as seriously. This time, I wanted to really sing, I wanted to discuss my fears and feelings, I wanted to connect, and I wanted to perform like I meant it, because I do. After all, how can I write an album about the willingness to feel and be too afraid to sing like I mean it?”
The new record will also include the new single “Release Myself”, which was recently premiered on Steve Lamacq’s BBC 6Music show. Accompanied by a beguiling new video, shot with Dylan Friese Greene, she shines across this vibrant new delight, highlighting some of the more euphoric moments from her next collection.
Adding about “Release Myself”, she said, "There are always a couple of songs on a record that just sort of fall out of you and this was one of them. This was the first time I’ve managed to write about my panic disorder without slipping too far into sorry-for-myself or cheesy, faux-empowering territory. It’s a song that says “hey I’m struggling but I’m not a victim”.
And on the new visuals, "I knew I wanted to lean into a slightly 90s wall-of-guitars sound and make it as energetic as possible, without losing the song. My friend (artist Derek Inver) and I were discussing this era of music and how brilliantly expressive and unafraid a lot of the indie pop was. I wanted to perform like I meant it, because I do. I hope that’s apparent on this track."
Fresh from supporting Ed Sheeran at the Royal Albert Hall, Atwell will play a series of intimate live shows in June including a sold-out London’s Union Chapel, Bristol’s Thekla, and Manchester’s converted cinema venue Band On The Wall. These intimate surroundings should prove the ideal match for these exposing, quietly fearless songs of self-exploration. These shows will be followed by support slots with The National in June & July and a newly announced UK headline tour in support of the album release, including a run of dates in October and London’s KOKO in February ’25. Full list of live dates below.
Bess Atwell live dates:
06 June | Manchester, UK | Band On The Wall
07 June | London, UK | Union Chapel SOLD OUT
08 June | Bristol, UK | Thekla
25 June | Vienna, AT | Stadthalle w/ The National
27 June | Bonn, DE | Kunstirasen w/ The National
11 July | Edinburgh, UK | Edinburgh Castles w/ The National
02 October | Norwich, UK | Arts Centre
03 October | Cambridge, UK | Junction 2
04 October | Nottingham, UK | Rescue Rooms
05 October | Leeds, UK | Belgrave Music Hall
06 October | Newcastle, UK | The Cluny
08 October | Glasgow, UK | St. Luke’s
09 October | Liverpool, UK | Leaf
11 October | Belfast, UK | The Black Box
12 October | Dublin, IRE | The Grand Social
15 October | Cardiff, UK | Clwb Ifor Bach
16 October | Birmingham, UK | Hare & Hounds
17 October | Oxford, UK | The Bullingdon
18 October | Brighton, UK | Concorde 2
22 February 2025 | London, UK | KOKO
‘Light Sleeper’ Tracklist:
Everyone Who’s Not In Love With You Is Wrong
Release Myself
Sylvester
Fan Favourite
The Weeping
Something Now
Spinning Sun
I Am Awake
Crowds
Light Sleeper
Bess Atwell online:
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