Indie rock star Mitski shared her hotly anticipated new single “Bug Like an Angel” today via Dead Oceans. The single comes with a music video, as well as the announcement of a new album. Mitski’s seventh studio album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, will come out on September 15th.
The music video for “Bug Like an Angel,” directed by Noel Paul, premiered on Mitski’s YouTube channel to more than 46,000 viewers at noon today, hit close to 10 times that number of views by the evening. In the video, a white-haired woman drunkenly stumbles through the street in front of a bar, accidentally interacting with a choir who had apparently been serenading bargoers. It is later revealed that Mitski was part of the choir, playing an acoustic guitar, and appeared fairly upset. The lyrics of “Bug Like an Angel” use imagery of intoxication with the lines “I learned I’m a drinker / Sometimes a drink feels like family” and “when I’m bent over / Wishing it was over / Making all variety of vows I’ll never keep.”
This new material follows Mitski’s early 2022 album Laurel Hell, which sprouted an extremely successful four-leg tour. In an Instagram post from July 25th, Mitski revealed that she had recorded a new album, and previewed the title. The album was recorded at Bomb Shelter Studios in Nashville, as well as Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles, and features production from loyal collaborator Patrick Hyland, who has produced every Mitski album since her 2012 debut Lush. Consisting of acoustic guitar, piano, bass, and strings, the arrangement of “Bug Like an Angel” strays from the synth-pop inspired production that made up most of Laurel Hell. During the single’s most intense moments, a 17-member choir comes in to build a rich, layered wave of vocals.
Upon release of the single at 12 p.m. EST, Mitski’s website updated to reveal pre-orders for the upcoming album, along with its physical copies and related merchandise. The tracklist for The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We was also displayed, listing 11 tracks and their titles.
As of now, a new tour has not been announced. In the past, Mitski appeared on World Cafe in 2016, performed at NON-COMM 2018, and played a sold out show at Franklin Music Hall in July 2022 as part of her Laurel Hell tour. To stay updated on Mitski’s album rollout, follow her on social media or sign up to be notified through her website. “Bug Like an Angel” is available now on all streaming platforms, and her upcoming album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We – to be released on Sept. 15th – can be pre-ordered and pre-saved here.