El Michels Affair have announced a new album, 24 Hr Sports, which is set for release on September 5. Bandleader Leon Michels, who co-produced Clairo’s delightful 2024 album Charm, has tapped the singer-songwriter for its lead single, ‘Anticipate’, which would’ve fit snugly into that record. Check it out below, and scroll down for the cover art and tracklist.
In addition to Clairo, the follow-up to 2023’s Glorious Game features appearances from Norah Jones, Shintaro Sakamoto, Florence Adooni, Rogê, Dave Guy, and a sample from the late Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Michels took inspiration from Sports Illustrated magazines, he explained: “The graphic design, the look, the pictures, and the way people dressed… that kind of super colorful but very two-dimensional design. I wanted to make music that sounds like that.”
“I think the evolution of my sound is this: It’s coming from old records, so it references the past a lot, but I’m not a purist, I’m a fan of modern technology,” Michels added. “I think what I’m doing is new. It’s a merging of the past and present, not unprecedented, but a good mix of then and now.”
24 Hr Sports Cover Artwork:
24 Hr Sports Tracklist:
1. Drumline
2. Mágica [feat. Rogê]
3. 24 Hr Sports Theme No. 1
4. Say Goodbye [feat. Florence Adooni]
5. Oakley’s Car Wash [feat. Dave Guy]
6. Anticipate [feat. Clairo]
7. Eastside
8. Clean The Line
9. Cortex
10. Shining
11. 24 Hr Sports Theme No. 2
12. Indifference [feat. Shintaro Sakamoto]
13. Carry Me Away [feat. Norah Jones]
14. Take My Hand [feat. Rahsaan Roland Kirk]
15. Open Season
16. Victory Lap
