After weeks of social media teasers and poster campaigns, the long-awaited return of Wolf Alice is here, along with news of their fourth album, The Clearing, out 29 August (pre-order here).

Lead single "Bloom Baby Bloom" is the first new music from the London-based band since 2022's Blue Lullaby EP, and comes with a stadium-sized chorus that winks to its classic rock influences.

As the band's Ellie Rowsell explains:

“I wanted a rock song, to focus on the performance element of a rock song and sing like Axl Rose, but to be singing a song about being a woman. I’ve used the guitar as a shield in the past, playing it has perhaps been some way to reject the 'girl singer in band' trope, but I wanted to focus on my voice as a rock instrument so it’s been freeing to put the guitar down and reach a point where I don’t feel like I need to prove that I’m a musician.”

As if to emphasize that point, the track comes with a slick performance video by Parisian director Colin Solal Cardo (Charli XCX, Robyn, Christine & The Queens) and award-winning choreographer Ryan Heffington, borrowing liberally from Bob Fosse's All That Jazz.

Watch it below:

The Clearing was written in North London and recorded in LA last year with producer Greg Kurstin, who is rumoured to have co-written a number of tracks. The album's tracklist has not yet been revealed, but check out the artwork below plus an alternative version being sold through Sony Music's official store.

Alternative artwork:

Tickets for three small shows in Ireland next week were sold out before most fans even knew that they were happening. Further tour dates TBA.

05/19 Kilkenny, IE @ Set Theatre
05/20 Cork, IE @ Cyprus Avenue
05/21 Limerick, IE @ Dolans Warehouse

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