Local Natives New Album Incoming

Aaron Dessner in the producer's chair

Local Natives are working on their second album, with Aaron Dessner in the producer’s chair.

Very much an independent phenomenon, Local Natives’ debut album ‘Gorilla Manor’ was a gradual success story. Pushed through word of mouth and near continual touring, the band’s Afro-pop drenched indie songwriting won them widespread acclaim.

Taking time off earlier this year, Local Natives signed with Infectious and began work on album #2. The National’s Aaron Dessner is set to sit in the producer’s chair, although sadly bassist Andy Hamm departed before sessions began.

Chatting to Pitchfork, Kelcey Ayer explained that the new material was written in quite emotionally challenging circumstances. “Parting with Andy was really hard for us, and then my mom passed away last summer” he said.

“In a way, it really helped me to process a lot of things, and there are some songs on the record about that. We’ve just grown so much over the past two years and the record is going to reflect a much more expansive palette of sounds”.

Continuing, Ayer labelled some of the material on the new album as “heavy”. “It’s a heavier record for us” he said. “You’d see the (potential titles) and be like, “Heavy metal.” We got a lot deeper on this album. ‘Gorilla Manor’ is a little lighter on the surface.”

Fancy a re-cap? Here’s ‘Airplanes’.

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Local Natives are currently in the studio.

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