As Duran Duran’s 15th album draws ever closer, the iconic British band brings more joy.
Simon Le Bon and Co. unleash “More Joy,” the second recording lifted from their forthcoming album Future Past, due out Oct. 22 via Tape Modern for BMG.
The new tune features an assist from Japanese rock band Chai and Blur’s Graham Coxon on guitar. And it takes Duranies back to familiar, nostalgic turf. “More Joy” has its heart in pop and is powered by a synth sequence that could be the offspring of a ‘70s number by Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, a contributor to the new album.
It was “born out of a crazy jam” with Coxon and producer/DJ Erol Alkan, explains DD’s founding keyboardist Nick Rhodes. “It was such an unusual piece we weren’t quite sure if it would fit in at first. It reminded me of one of those retro Japanese video games, which I always found quite uplifting.”
The latest cut follows the release in May of the introspective “Invisible,” also with contributions from Coxon, and got its debut TV performance at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards as part of a three-song medley.
In early July, the band stopped by the Today show to perform the album track “Give It All Up,” though a studio version has yet to show up.
Guest producers on the forthcoming set include Erol Alkan, Moroder and Mark Ronson, who worked with the group on their 2010 LP All You Need Is Now. Expect to hear collaborations with David Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson, Tove Lo, and a duet with Lykke Li.
It’s the followup to 2015’s Paper Gods, which impacted the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic.
Stream “More Joy” and check out the Future Past tracklist below.
“Future Past” Tracklist:
Invisible
All Of You
Give It All Up (Feat. Tove Lo)
Anniversary
Future Past
Beautiful Lies
Tonight United
Wing
Nothing Less
Hammerhead (Feat. Ivorian Doll)
More Joy! (Feat. Chai)
Falling (Feat. Mike Garson)
