WU LYF have confirmed that their album ‘A Wave That Will Never Break’ will now receive an official retail release, with full details announced below.
The record, which originally arrived in April, marks the Manchester band’s first full length release in 15 years and follows up their 2011 debut ‘Go Tell Fire To The Mountain’.
Initially, the album was made available exclusively through their WORLDUNITE.ORG platform and within their L Y F community, rather than appearing on streaming services. Despite its limited release strategy, the project still debuted at Number 13 on the Official UK Albums Chart.
Now, the band have announced that ‘A Wave That Will Never Break’ will be released in physical record stores worldwide on June 26 via LYF Recordings. Fans are able to pre-order the release now.
This will be the first time the album is available in traditional retail outlets, and this edition will also include exclusive new artwork created specifically for the physical release.
Speaking to NME earlier this year, WU LYF discussed their unconventional approach to releasing music, explaining that the strategy was designed to allow the album to be experienced as a complete work rather than consumed in fragments on streaming platforms such as Spotify. The band have also removed their earlier catalogue from the service, even replacing it at one point with a tongue in cheek Homer Simpson sung version of their single ‘The Fool’ that redirected listeners to their own online hub.
“It was more the idea that playing together for the first time sounded good than anything else, then it all grew from there. I don’t think anyone sits down with a masterplan before they start,” said Tom McClung, reflecting on the group’s return.
“That develops over time. We want to build something from this foundation that we find quite solid and interesting.”
Ellery Roberts added: “Even though media publications have constructed some kind of sense of marketing masterplans with everything we’ve done in the past, my relationship with it is just that we’ve made intuitive decisions based on what feels true and right in the moment.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily about proving anything other than trying to forge a way. An alternative is possible, and you only know that by trying it. We don’t know what will come of our endeavours at this moment in time, but we have all agreed to stand by our choices and see them through.”
Later this year, WU LYF are also set to embark on a UK and European headline tour, with full dates and remaining tickets available via official channels.
