Two decades after their self-titled breakthrough, Scottish indie act Franz Ferdinand have announced new album The Human Fear today. It arrives on January 10 2025 via Domino.

New song "Audacious" shows the group's trademark suave and swagger, demonstrating how the Alex Kapranos-led group can seamless absorb just about any style. This time around, they integrate some of ELO's classic rock whims and shades of, well... ska?

Watch the video, directed by longtime collaborator Andy Knowles, below and listen for yourself:

"It’s about having an audacious response when you feel the fabric of existence come undone around you," Kapranos says of "Audacious". "Being bold, contrary. Peering over the edge into the eternity of non-existence and saying Aye! Fuck it! Not today thank you!’

Though greater details about The Human Fear have yet to be unveiled, this is the first album that features the brand new lineup of the band, with Audrey Tait (drums), Dino Bardot (guitar/backing vocals), and Julian Corrie (keyboards/guitars) joining the two remaining founding members, Bob Hardy (bass) and Kapranos (lead vocals/guitars). The band's frontman had some additional lofty words about The Franz's sixth studio-chapter:

"Making this record was one of the most life-affirming experiences I’ve had, but it’s called “The Human Fear”. Fear reminds you that you’re alive. I think we all are addicted in some way to the buzz it can give us. How we respond to it shows how we are human. So here’s a bunch of songs searching for the thrill of being human via fears. Not that you’d necessarily notice on first listen."

Preorder The Human Fear here. See the full album tracklist below.

1.  ‘Audacious’
2.   ‘Everyday Dreamer’
3.   ‘The Doctor’
4.   ‘Hooked’
5.   ‘Build It Up’
6.   ‘Night Or Day’
7.   ‘Tell Me I Should Stay’
8.   ‘Cats’
9.   ‘Black Eyelashes’
10. ‘Bar Lonely’
11. ‘The Birds’

Furthermore, Franz Ferdinand have announced a big world tour, starting this month. See all the dates below.

09-26-2024 — Strathpeffer, UK - Spa Pavilion
09-27-2024 — Stirling, UK - Albert Halls
09-28-2024 — Dumfries, UK - The Venue
10-03-2024 — Guadalajara, MX - Estadio 3 de Marzo *
10-05-2024 — Mexico City, MX - Foro Sol *
10-06-2024 — Mexico City, MX - Foro Sol *
10-09-2024 — Monterrey, MX - Estadio Banorte *
10-10-2024 — Mexico City, MX - Fronton
10-12-2024 — Querétaro, MX - Festival Pulso
11-07-2024 — Lima, PE - Anfiteatro del Parque
11-09-2024 — Santiago, CL - Fauna Primavera
11-12-2024 — Buenos Aires, AR - Estadio Obras
11-14-2024 — São Paulo, BR - Tokio Marine Hall
11-16-2024 — Bogotá, CO - Chamorro City Hall
11-17-2024 — Medellín, CO - Orquideorama
02-14-2025 — Lisbon, PT - Aula Magna
02-15-2025 — A Coruña, ES - Sala Pelican
02-17-2025 — Madrid, ES - La Riviera
02-18-2025 — Barcelona, ES - Razzmatazz
02-20-2025 — Milan, IT - Fabrique
02-21-2025 — Zurich, CH - X-Tra
02-22-2025 — Munich, DE - Muffathalle
02-24-2025 — Berlin, DE - Huxleys
02-25-2025 — Warsaw, PL - Progresja
02-27-2025 — Paris, FR - La Cigale
02-28-2025 — Cologne, DE - Kantine
03-01-2025 — Antwerp, BE - De Roma
03-03-2025 — Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
03-05-2025 — London, UK - Shepherds Bush Empire
03-07-2025 — Glasgow, UK - Barrowlands

*with The Killers

The Needle Drop may earn an affiliate commission via purchases on ticket links through this article.