Tortoise will release their first album in nearly seven years on January 22, 2015.

Their seventh album is entitled The Catastrophist. Amongst the songs on the album are a cover of David Essex’s 1973 hit song “Rock On” with vocals by U.S. Maple’s Todd Rittmann. Additionally, for the first time a Tortoise album will feature a guest vocalist singing original lyrics – Yo La Tengo’s Georgia Hubley adds her vocals to the track ‘Yonder Blue,’ described as a ‘bittersweet classic soul/R&B vibe ballad.’

The first track to be heard from the album is ‘Gesceap’ which can be streamed below.

The album tracklisting is as follows:

1. The Catastrophist
2. Ox Duke
3. Rock On
4. Gopher Island
5. Shake Hands With Danger
6. The Clearing Fills
7. Gesceap
8. Hot Coffee
9. Yonder Blue
10. Tesseract
11. At Odds With Logic

Additionally, January 22 will also see the re-issuing of their previous six albums – Tortoise, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, TNT, Standards, It’s All Around You and Beacons Of Ancestorship on limited edition vinyl. These can be pre-ordered from the Thrill Jockey store here

Yup, those seminal post-rockers Tortoise are back next month with their sixth LP, Beacons of Ancestorship. This will be the Chicago band’s first album in five years (not including the covers-collaboration with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy/Will Oldham, The Brave and the Bold).

I say post-rockers, but there’s also elements of Krautrock, dub and jazz here. This is a very good thing, and I’m hoping that The Wire magazine will do a feature on them very soon. If you liked Battles’ album a couple of summers ago, then Tortoise will blow you away.

Two tracks have been made available to download ahead of its’ release on June 22 (or June 23 if you live in North America, where i understand that releases come out a day later, generally speaking). These are both absolutely fabulous tracks which you should download and listen to, and then go and buy the album when it comes out. If you feel that you should also be investigating other Tortoise records (which you should be), then may I recommend Tortoise, Millions Now Living Will Never Die and Standards.

The tracklisting for Beacons of Ancestorship is as follows:

1. High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In
2. Prepare Your Coffin
3. Northern Something
4. Gigantes
5. Penumbra
6. Yinxianghechengqi
7. The Fall Of Seven Diamonds Plus One
8. Minors
9. Monument Six One Thousand
10. de Chelly
11. Charteroak Foundation

Tortoise -‘Prepare Your Coffin.’ mp3 (made available through Drowned In Sound and Pitchfork

Tortoise -‘High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In.’ mp3 (made available through Stereogum).

Tortoise’s official website/Tortoise site at Thrill Jockey Records

As always, please let me know what you think!