M83 Junk 2016 [SPEAKEASYS]

Junk is the upcoming seventh studio album by French electronic band M83, scheduled to be released on 8 April 2016 on Naïve Records in France and Mute Records in the United States.[1] The album does not feature longtime vocalist and keyboardist Morgan Kibby, who left the band prior to recording sessions of the album.[2] On 4 March 2016, Gonzalez announced that Dallas musician Kaela Sinclair would be replacing Kibby for the upcoming tour supporting Junk,[3] whom he found by crowd-sourcing online. The track "Walkway Blues" marks the debut songwriting and lead vocal contribution of Jordan Lawlor, better known by his stage name J. Laser, who was also recruited through a crowd-sourced audition in 2011.[4] Junk marks M83's first studio album in over four years, the last album being Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.

Gonzalez noted that he was inspired by 1970s and 1980s television shows such as Punky Brewster and Who's the Boss?, stating, "I feel like TV shows are starting to sound and look the same. There's no more passion anymore. So this album is a tribute to those old-fashioned shows."[5]

The second single from the album, "Solitude", was released on 17 March 2016 in Australia and New Zealand and on 18 March 2016 worldwide.