alt-J dropped the video for their new single ‘U&ME’ yesterday (September 22) and announced their new album The Dream.

The band returns after a four-year hiatus with their trademark folk-inflected guitar, intricate drum patterns and frontman Joe Newman’s warbling vocals. The new track sees the band take a woozier turn with Newman toning down his unique vocal texture to make it sound smoother and more relaxed.

The video was directed by keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton’s brother Prosper and is the first video to feature all three members. The intriguing clip “recalls treasured memories and captures the band in full flow during long summer days.”

The new album is slated to drop on February 11th 2022 and is available to stream, as a CD and in a variety of vinyl formats. There will also be a limited edition hardback book CD that reproduces the book Newman used to write the album including handwritten lyrics.

The official artist store includes merchandise bundles with signed print and exclusive cassette and vinyl formats. The Dream — which arrives via Canvasback/Infectious music — is currently available to pre-order.

The forthcoming record was created following the world tour in support of their last record, 2017’s Relaxer. Their latest LP sees the trio “growing as songwriters and storytellers.” It will be alt-J’s fourth studio album.

‘U&ME’ was written during soundchecks as the beloved band toured the world. “It gathered momentum on it’s own, it was best to just get out of its way. We were just there,” said Newman about the song.

When talking about the new song’s meaning, Unger-Hamilton said: “It’s about being at a festival with your best friends, having a good time, togetherness, and the feeling in life that nothing could be any better than it is right now.”

The band also announced the first leg of their world tour which sees them embark on their biggest ever tour of North America.

alt-J formed in Leeds University in 2007 and comprises of Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton and Thom Sonny Greene. Gwilym Sainsbury was also part of the original lineup but left after the release of their debut album An Awesome Wave in 2012.

Watch the video for ‘U&ME’ below.