Kentucky-born singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson has announced a new album, Passage du Desir, under the alias Johnny Blue Skies - a disco cowboy inspired character.

The album is set to be released on July 12 of this year.

The introduction of an alias comes after Simpson's promises to release only five albums.

In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine when he was promoting his fifth and seemingly final LP, The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, he said:

"This is the last Sturgill record. I always said there would be five, and I wondered if I'd go back on that."

Passage du Desir was released under Simpson's High Top Mountain Record. It was recorded at Nashville's Clement House Recording Studio and London's iconic Abbey Road Studios.

Simpson tried Johnny Blue Skies on for size last year in the track "Use Me (Brutal Hearts)" along with Diplo and Dove Cameron; however Passage du Desir will be Johnny Blue Skies's first official LP debut.

Some fans also reported a billboard in California that read “Beware the dread pirate Johnny Blue Skies" - a phrase that appeared in Simpsons Grammy-winning Sailor’s Guide To Earth album earlier this year.

Simpson has also announced his upcoming North American Why Not? tour which will commence in August of this year in San Francisco and finish up during November in Boston.

See album tracks below: 

Passage du Desir:

1 Swamp of Sadness
2 If the Sun Never Rises Again
3 Scooter Blues
4 Jupiter’s Faerie
5 Who I Am
6 Right Kind of Dream
7 Mint Tea
8 One for the Road