AWOLNATION has released a new single and music video – “I Am Happy” debuts featuring Del The Funky Homosapien, following the release of the singles “Panoramic View” and “Jump Sit Stand March” featuring Emily Armstrong.
The tracks can be found on the recently announced upcoming new album, ‘The Phantom Five’, to be released 30th August 2024. “I hit Del up through my relationship with Dan the Automator,” explains Aaron Bruno aka AWOLANTION on the collaboration. “Del goes, “Yeah, send it.” and I’m like, “What? Wow, okay. Here we go.” I sent Del the song’s structure similar to how it is now, but I left one verse longer so he could go as long as he wanted. He sent it back perfect. It was so cool to send him a song with this kind of chorus, about trying to find happiness in a bizarrely upside-down time.”
“I guess that’s the whole point of this record—addressing it, acknowledging it, seeing if it’s real, but also trying to make the best of it,” continues Bruno. “Del interpreted the lyrics about being happy out of your mind in the face of fear and nailed it. And what an honour. It’s basically like my Gorillaz song. I didn’t even put it together at the time but Del raps the phrase “Panoramic View” on the Gorillaz song “Clint Eastwood.” He’s a legend.”
‘The Phantom Five’ is a collection of ten songs that highlights every different impulse and urge Bruno has learned to master with AWOLNATION in a cohesive, anthemic pastiche of modern music. It functions almost as a “greatest hits” album, in the sense that it offers something for everyone who has followed the band’s arc in its celebrated, shape-shifting way. ‘The Phantom Five’ is concerned with trying to find one’s way to happiness in a bizarrely upside-down time.
Aaron Bruno, the de facto leader, songwriter, and creative force behind the Los Angeles-based project AWOLNATION, has spent the better part of two decades steering the band’s ship of pop-friendly electronic and alternative rock to millions of record sales and streams, a handful of chart-topping singles, and countless shows played to adoring fans around the world.
From the 2010 debut’s smash “Sail” and the hype of sophomore album Run to 2018’s organic-leaning Here Come the Runts and 2020’s rock-forward Angel Miners & the Lightning Riders, plus a handful of EPs, remixes, and a covers album, Bruno has mined his sonic creativity for an output of music on par with anyone’s from the last two decades.
“I Am Happy” is the third song to be released from ‘The Phantom Five’ and follows “Jump Sit Stand March” featuring Emily Armstrong, released in May.
‘The Phantom Five’ Track Listing
1. Jump Sit Stand March (Feat. Emily Armstrong)
2. Party People
3. Panoramic View
4. I Am Happy (Feat. Del the Funky Homosapian)
5. Barbarian
6. Bang Your Head
7. City of Nowhere
8. A Letter To No One
9. When I Was Young
10. Outta Here
‘The Phantom Five’ is available for pre-save and pre-order here
Watch the music video for “I Am Happy” below:
