The Coral Announce New Double Album Coral Island For April 2021 Release, Share First Single “Faceless Angel”

English five-piece group The Coral has announced the release of their 10th and first-ever double-album, Coral Island. The album will be the band’s first new music since their 2018 album Move Through the Dawn, and is set to be released April 20, 2021 via Run On Records. The band has recently released the first single from their album, titled “Faceless Angel,” and the track’s unexpected sound gives listeners a glimpse into the mysterious world of Coral Island.

Having been almost 19 years since the release of their platinum-certified self-titled album, the Merseyside bunch known for their playful and nostalgic sound has sold over a million albums to date. They hint at a far more psychedelic and experimental approach to their 10th record with “Faceless Angel,” trying on moodier sounds and concepts.

The band has released several wildly successful singles in the past decade since their release of The Coral, including “In The Morning,” “Dreaming Of You,” “Pass It On” and “Don’t Think You’re The First.”

Listen to The Coral’s single, “Faceless Angel” here:

The single’s bouncy, up-tempo instrumentation meshes with singer James Skelly’s rich and mellow vocals to create a mystical ambiance, transporting listeners into the realm of Coral Island. It’s reverberating, tinny sound is grounded through tender lyrics that tell the story of a “faithless drifter.” Although Skelly’s unmistakable vocals certainly shine through in the single, the band’s reimagined style is also captured effortlessly by the rest of the band, including Ian Skelly, Nick Power, Paul Duffy, Paul Molloy and an unnamed special guest.

As listeners wander through the song, they’re met with jangly guitar solos, echoing backing vocals and flourishing synths–all of which insinuate the kind of atmosphere listeners can expect in the band’s upcoming fairground-inspired album. 

The song and its accompanying video pair seamlessly together, painting a sinister and indistinct picture for listeners. The video, created by Edwin Burdis and filmed in a deserted Chinese restaurant in Cardiff, features footage from the expansive Coral Island installation built by the artist himself. Further imagery of the diorama is said to be featured in the upcoming album’s artwork. The far-out video does well in matching the song’s inexplicable and dark imagery.