TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe shares brilliant synth-driven single “Somebody New”

Early support for “Thee Black Boltz” and “Magnetic”:

“One of rock’s greatest polymaths is back.” – The Guardian

“A brilliant pop album.” – Electronic Sound

“A testament to the restorative power of creative resilience.” **** – Dork 

“A shiny recalibration of TVOTR’s high-density art rock.” **** – Mojo

“Guided by the same restless and creatively unburdened spirit that has defined TV on the Radio.” **** – DIY

“The deep chug that drives “Magnetic” is irresistible and Adebimpe’s voice throughout is, as ever, warm and alluringly scuffed around the edges.” – Uncut

“The multi-hyphenate frontman has a punky new solo earworm.” – The Observer’s Hot Tracks

“Soulful post-punk.” – Mojo

“An excellent first single, Magnetic sounds like TV on the Radio in their prime.” – The New Cue

Acclaimed TV on the Radio frontman and multi-hyphenate talent Tunde Adebimpe has released a new video for “Somebody New,” from his highly anticipated debut solo album, Thee Black Boltz. The album is set to be released this Friday, April 18th via Sub Pop Records.

The album’s fourth pre-release, “Somebody New”, is a synth-heavy, dance floor ready track and the video, directed by Adebimpe, is a trippy time capsule of neon, glitter and what can only be described as no-holds-barred, stark raving puppet glam.

Of the video Tunde says, “I’m positive I fell asleep on a couch with the TV on sometime in 1982 and fever dreamt this exact thing.”

WATCH “SOMEBODY NEW” HERE

This announcement comes on the heels of the release of “God Knows“, a track about the complexities of a bittersweet breakup; the vivid and introspective “Drop” from earlier this year; and last year’s lead single “Magnetic”. Thee Black Boltz is produced by Tunde Adebimpe & Wilder Zoby, and executive produced by Zoby, with additional production and contributions from Jaleel Bunton & Jahphet Landis (of TV on the Radio), and more. Showcasing visionary soundscapes, the album is a nod to Adebimpe’s propensity to write and sing about the human condition – in all its forms, under all its stressors, both big and small.

Pre-order the record HERE

Watch Video For “God Know” HERE

Watch Video For “Drop” HERE

Watch Video for “Magnetic” HERE

Thee Black Boltz is not a TV on the Radio album. But in a lot of ways, the excitement of doing something on his own for the first time ignited a similar spark in him as during the early TV On The Radio days. The songwriting process is the same, he says, but with his TVOTR bandmates, Adebimpe knows he doesn’t always have to complete his ideas. “I’ve been doing this thing with this group of people for so long, that I can just have a vague sketch of a concept and I know Jaleel or Kyp will have five brilliant ideas on where it can go,” he says. “But for Thee Black Boltz, I didn’t have that scaffolding to hang on. That was both terrifying and exhilarating.”

At the heart of the album is its title. It is his response to the macro unease of a post-pandemic world careening towards violent authoritarianism and the personal grief that has come from loss in recent years, specifically the sudden passing of his younger sister while making it. Thee Black Boltz is Adebimpe’s desperate grasping of small moments of joy amidst the dissonance and sadness, any way he can. Making this album, he says, was his way of processing everything: “It was my way of building a rock or a platform for myself in the middle of this fucking ocean.”

And thus, Thee Black Boltz. As he writes in his notebook, “The sparks of inspiration/motivation / hope that flash up in the midst of (and sometimes as a result of) deep grief, depression or despair. Sort of like electrons building up in storm clouds clashing until they fire off lightning and illuminate a way out, if only for a second.”

“Also,” he adds. “it’s a good name for a cool metal band, and I think that most people would describe me as akin to a very cool metal band.”