U2 have joined forces with Jack White‘s Third Man Records to drop a limited edition vinyl version of their new album ‘Carnaval De Luz’.
The rock icons recently announced new album ‘Carnaval De Luz’, which they describe as a “messy, provocative, sacred collection of songs”, set for release on November 13.
Comprised of 12-songs, the Jacknife Lee-produced album has already been previewed by the lead single ‘Silencio’, which Bono and co. played live at some surprise shows last week – including a stop at their former high school in Dublin and a gig from the balcony of a cafe. It also comes on the heels of the group releasing two six-track EPs earlier this year: ‘Days Of Ash’ and ‘Easter Lily’.
Now, ahead of the release next month, U2 have joined up with Third Man Records for a special edition of the album.
Set to arrive on the official release date for the record, the new Third Man Records variant is a special independent record store edition, which has been created specifically for independent music retailers.
It features creative direction by Gavin Friday, art direction and design by Shaughn McGrath and The Third Man team, and the pressing comes with the distinctive Third Man Records colours: yellow and black.
Visit here to pre-order.
Third Man Records was originally founded by Jack White in Detroit, MI in 2001, and opened its first physical store in 2009 in Nashville. It currently has three locations, including one in London, and nearly all of its records are recorded, printed, and pressed in Detroit and produced by Jack White.
For U2, their new record comes as the band are currently celebrating 50 years since they formed, and they are already rehearsing for a new stadium tour – which will see drummer Larry Mullen Jr. make his full return to the stage after undergoing surgery.
Ahead of the surprise shows last week, NME was treated to a playback of four tracks from their new album ‘Carnaval De Luz’ at former music venue McGonagles, where U2 played many of their early shows in the late 70s.
On the upcoming record, there is a song called ‘Torn’ which features Dolly Parton’s last recorded vocal performance, and another song about “extraordinary artist” Rosalía.
The band have been dropping hints about music for years now, and back as 2024, guitarist The Edge shared that U2’s next record would not be “a straight-up rock thing”.
Last summer, Bono then shared that he was “ready for the future” with U2, with the band having written “25 great songs” for their new album. Earlier in the year while discussing the writing process, the frontman said that U2 were overcoming the past to make “the sound of the future”.
Their soon-to-be-announced tour comes following them playing a huge residency at the Las Vegas Sphere when it first opened its doors in September 2023. Reviewing the band’s Vegas show, NME hailed the band for “taking the live concert experience ‘to the next level’” and delivering “a fine balancing act of doing just that while also ensuring their music remains very much at the forefront”.
As for Jack White, this isn’t the first time he has joined forces with U2. Back in 2011, he recorded a cover of their song ‘Love Is Blindness’ for a 20th anniversary version of their 1991 LP ‘Achtung Baby’.
