Franz Ferdinand announced their first extended tour in three years back in February, and the Scottish rockers shook off the rust all across North America and Europe this past summer. It was a reunion of sorts for the band, members of which have been busy with side projects like FFS and BNQT since the release of 2013’s Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. And now that reunion has given birth to a new album, Always Ascending, which will drop on February 9th. It’s the band’s first LP since parting ways with guitarist Mike McCarthy in 2016.

Recorded at RAK Studios in London and Motorbass in Paris with French producer Philippe Zdar (Phoenix, Beastie Boys), the album is said to find the band “broadening their palate.” In a press release, singer Alex Kapranos calls the album “simultaneously futuristic and naturalistic.”



That description applies to Always Ascending‘s title track, which they’ve released as the album’s first single. Stretching out over five minutes, the song expands on the disco-pop Franz Ferdinand has long embraced by blending trippy space-rock flourishes with grounded vocal melodies and a vibrant chorus. Listen to it above.

You can catch a preview of some of the band’s new songs during a launch event at Paris’ Point Ephémère, which the band will live stream on its Facebook page at 2:30 p.m. CST today.

If you miss that, rest assured that Franz Ferdinand are also be heading out on a massive world tour in December. See their full itinerary below, as well as the album’s tracklist and album art.

Always Ascending Artwork:

Always Ascending Tracklist:

01. Always Ascending

02. Lazy Boy

03. Paper Cages

04. Finally

05. The Academy Award

06. Lois Lane

07. Huck And Jim

08. Glimpse Of Love

09. Feel The Love Go

10. Slow Don’t Kill Me Slow

Franz Ferdinand 2017-2018 Tour Dates:

12/04 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Market

12/05 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore

12/06 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore

12/07 – Portland, OR @ KNRK Show

12/09 – Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse

12/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas

01/25 – Tokyo, Japan @ Shinkiba Studio Coast

02/10 – Galway, Ireland @ Leisureland

02/11 – Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia Theatre

02/13 – Manchester, UK @ Royal Albert Hall

02/14 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City

02/16 – Newcastle, UK @ 02 Academy

02/17 – Glasgow, UK @ 02 Academy

02/19 – Leeds, UK @ 02 Academy

02/20 – Birmingham, UK @ 02 Academy

02/21 – Bristol, UK @ 02 Academy

02/23 – Cambridge, UK @ Corn Exchange

02/24 – London, UK @ 02 Brixton Academy

02/25 – Brighton, UK @ Dome

02/27 – Paris, FR @ Zenith

02/28 – Brussels, BE @ Forest National

03/01 – Hamburg, DE @ Mehr! Theater

03/03 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli Vrendenburg

03/04 – Groningen, NL @ De Oosterpoort

03/05 – Cologne, DE @ Palladium

03/07 – Berlin, DE @ Tempodrom

03/08 – Warsaw, PL @ Stodola

03/09 – Prague, CZ @ Forum Karlin

03/11 – Zurich, CH @ Halle 622

03/12 – Munich, DE @ Tonhalle

03/13 – Vienna, AT @ Gasometer

03/15 – Bologna, IT @ Unipol Arena

03/17 – Madrid, SP @ La Riviera

03/19 – Toulouse, FR @ Zenith

03/20 – Montpellier, FR @ Zenith Sud

03/21 – Lyon, FR @ Amphi 3000

03/23 – Rennes, FR @ Liberte

03/24 – Caen, FR @ Zenith

04/08 – Toronto, ON @ Rebel

04/10 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues

04/11 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

04/13 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore

04/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel

04/27 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

04/28 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman

04/30 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

05/02 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant

05/07 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

05/08 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

05/11 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren

05/13 – San Diego, CA @ North Park @ The Observatory

05/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern

05/17 – Oakland, CA @ The Fox Theatre