LISTEN: Unknown Mortal Orchestra Release New Song “SB-02”

As a teaser to promote their forthcoming third album, psych-pop group Unknown Mortal Orchestra have released a new 17-and-a-half-minute-long epic entitled “SB-02.”

The song begins with a little ambient noise experimentation before breaking out into some majestic, straightforward synth-pop, incorporating everything from keyboard arpeggios to fuzzy guitar lines along the way. The song then turns into a brief, P-Funk-esque throwdown, leading directly into a segment of minimalist jazz that would probably make Herbie Hancock smile with its Egyptian modes. This devolves into more free-form synth rumbling and whistling before adopting a hip hop beat and getting back into some more swinging, funky territory. Then there’s a mock-Baroque video game theme song that winds things down in a grandoise, albeit ridiculous, manner–and this is just one song off the forthcoming album.

First reported by Stereogum, “SB-02” is the first new material that band has released since the even longer“SB-01” in late 2013.

According to an update the New Zealand trio posted on their Facebook, their forthcoming album is in the process of being mastered, meaning it should drop very soon.

While new recorded material is exciting, Unknown Mortal Orchestra has played plenty of festivals in the past year to tide fans over. For instance, the band played the Desert Daze Festival the day after Coachella, and then played the First City Festival at the end of August.

You can listen to every last minute of “SB-02” below.