Simple Minds
Nearly 50 years into their remarkable journey, Simple Minds are looking back to their post-punk roots while keeping their eyes firmly on what comes next. New single ‘Elysium’ is a thunderous reminder of the band's enduring creative spark.
There's a deliciously sharp edge to ‘Elysium’. Inspired in part by Magazine's 1978 classic ‘The Light Pours Out of Me’, the new Simple Minds single swaps any notion of Greek-mythological paradise for pounding drums, muscular guitar riffs and a darker, more urgent post-punk atmosphere. It's big, bold and gloriously dramatic – with Charlie Burchill's guitar leading the charge and Jim Kerr delivering a vocal that gives the whole thing its commanding presence.
The second track to emerge from their forthcoming 20th studio album, Sacrosanct, ‘Elysium’ takes its name from the paradise of Greek mythology. Musically, however, there's plenty of grit beneath the heavenly title.
Kerr describes hearing the early musical ideas as an almost otherworldly experience, giving him the freedom to create lyrics that matched the strange, alluring atmosphere. The result is a track that feels both familiar and fresh – a combination Simple Minds have made their own.
And there's plenty more where that came from. Sacrosanct is set to feature eight songs, bringing together the band's Glasgow post-punk roots and their continuing appetite for exploration. The previously released ‘Beginner Boys’ offers an uplifting reflection on raising the next generation, while ‘Our Secrets Are The Same’ celebrates the extraordinary lifelong friendship between Kerr and Burchill. Elsewhere, ‘Songs’ salutes the power of music to carry us through difficult times, and the closing pair, ‘Alive In This Moment’ and ‘The Next Right Thing’, explore nostalgia, time and loss.
It's an album shaped by experience, friendship and an enduring belief in the power of music. Kerr describes the title Sacrosanct as a reflection of nearly five decades spent writing songs together – something that has become less like a career and more like a faith. That's quite a statement, but listening to ‘Elysium’, you can understand where he's coming from.
The record follows 2022's Top Five album Direction of the Heart, completing what the band describe as an artistic trilogy alongside Walk Between Worlds. After a hugely successful global touring period, including performances to more than 1.5 million people last year, Simple Minds have clearly returned to the studio with their batteries fully charged.
There's also a striking piece of Glasgow craftsmanship behind the new album artwork, created in collaboration with sculptor Andy Scott. His reimagined steel version of the band's logo brings another layer of identity to the project.
With the Simple Minds V Tour heading around the world, including dates in Portugal and Madrid in April 2027, there's plenty to look forward to on the live front too.
‘Elysium’ is a cracking new single: powerful, atmospheric and packed with the sort of widescreen ambition that has always made Simple Minds such a force. Nearly half a century on, they're still finding new ways to make a noise. And long may that continue.
For more information: Simple Minds
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