Club Kuru return to the world with a new album after a five-year break

Known for their fascinating blend of classic songwriting with sensual guitars and introspective lyrics, Club Kuru release the highly anticipated new album Before the world. The London-based psych-rock project, led by Laurie Erskine, will be released on June 21, 2024 via Absolute, and you can pre-save the full album here.

Supported by Clash Magazine, BBC 6music and Radio X, the actual recording of the album took just two weeks. Club Kuru gathered in Laurie’s home studio, a bungalow in south-east London. The recording was carried out with zeal, with the ensemble working directly to tape while Ben Landon handled mixing. “Most of my favourite albums were recorded to tape, so you get closer to the sound you first fell in love with,” he says. “I wanted a band that would make a record in a period of time. When I listen back to the album, I can remember everything.”

Of the upcoming album, he says: “I find ‘Before the World’ to be a very introspective record. A lot of it came from sitting alone in the studio and just feeling pretty sad. I was asking myself difficult questions and worrying that I couldn’t think of any solutions. Lyrically, I started to turn to themes of life and death after a terrible loss in my family… and then around the same time, the beautiful arrival of new life. Amidst these somber and anxious reflections, there is a vague but prevailing sense of hope that runs through the record. I definitely felt a heavy weight lifted off me when I finally finished it. Hopefully that sense of renewal will radiate through to the listener.”

Following the success of their two albums in 2018 and 2019, which earned them spots on the 6Music playlist and a sync on HBO’s High Maintenance, as well as a tour with Jungle, the band hit a creative block. “Basically, we couldn’t get anything done,” Erskine explains. “I wrote a lot, but didn’t get anything done. I’m not sure why… I got a little stuck on everything.” Eventually, the band split up to pursue different musical ventures and collaborate with respected artists such as Soweto Kinch, Moses Boyd, Yak, Michael Kiwanuka, Jungle, Little Simz and George Ezra.

During his band hiatus, Laurie Erskine sought solace and inspiration in his analogue studio in south-east London, honing his skills as a sound engineer and rekindling his connection to his jazz heritage. Fuelled by this renewed love of improvised music, Erskine formed a new band, a revival of Club Kuru, breaking new ground.

Breaking away from his perfectionist tendencies, Laurie decided to limit himself to just two full takes before settling on the final version. It’s a powerful tone to open this new chapter on. Club Kuru feels emboldened, the work is rich and radiant. Faced with the challenges of growing up and navigating personal change, the music took on a deeper meaning as Laurie wrestled with complex emotions.

The track “Sunshine Kiss The Water” – how’s that for a perfectly enchanting title? – longs for the eternal, a song that indulges in a silent form of bliss. The song on the album itself is reminiscent of Pink Floyd in their otherworldly form. The composition is based on classical harmony with soulful vocals floating above. Laurie says, “Over the years I started to practice singing more directly and it started to open up and strengthen.” He continues, “It’s a more romantic song I suppose. But I wasn’t in a romantic mood when I wrote it. Instead I focused on the feeling that nature can give me. A feeling that there is something strange and wonderful, but also frightening, out there.

“I was thinking about that sublime feeling when you see sunshine shining on the water and you think, ‘Wow, the sun has been shining on the water for a very, very long time and it looks really magical.’ Those kinds of feelings give you a sense of awe and also the feeling that you really have no idea what’s going on.”

Laurie continues to talk about the recording process: “I wrote this a long time ago. It sat on my hard drive for many years. I changed a few things here and there. I always liked the chorus, but I kept rewriting the verses. It started as a really gentle ballad, but then it got heavier. The chord progression is taken from classical music harmony. It’s quite a slow melody, which we struggled to get right at times.”

There’s a melodic directness, too. Second single “Who Am I” is a six-minute jam that showcases the almost telepathic interplay between these musicians, reinforcing and then breaking away from the classic pop song structure. “It’s a song about not knowing yourself. Looking for something solid to hold on to and not finding anything there,” he says.

Signing a deal with Absolute as a distribution partner meant no concessions and a sense of freedom. This time, Club Kuru aims to deliver exactly what fans get – from the music itself to the cover art, a neo-pagan visual feast created by Frederica Dalwood. The newly revamped Club Kuru lineup is constantly evolving and has also recorded three new performance videos, filmed live in Laurie’s home studio.

“Everything feels much easier now,” he reflects. “Maybe I’m a little better at it… or maybe being more relaxed is the same as being better. That’s the trick.”