Scottish indie band Chvrches released “How Not To Drown,” on June 2, 2021 in collaboration with artist Robert Smith of The Cure. This is the second single Chvrches has shared ahead of their newest album Screen Violence, which is set to be released Aug. 27, 2021.

“How Not to Drown ” is a fast song, with sharp percussion, thrumming bass and guitar and occasional piano. Lauren Mayberry, lead vocalist, has a cascading vocal line that pairs well with the instrumentation. Robert Smith joins on the second verse of the song, before harmonizing with Mayberry on the second chorus. Though Smith and Mayberry’s voices are quite different, their vowel choices are similar which makes their harmony fascinating to listen to. During the bridge, the percussion drops out and the synths and vocal tracks create a hollow echo that sounds almost like a howl. The song ends on a melancholy note, with Smith finishing out the last verse and the synths trailing off.

Both Chvrches and Smith teased the release of “How Not to Drown” on social media earlier this year. “How Not to Drown” follows “He Said She Said,” which Chvrches released earlier this year. The band also created a music video for the song, which they shared shortly after the song’s release.

Chvrches also announced that they will be touring for their coming album. The tour begins Nov. 9, 2021 in Houston and will take them through the continental US before ending Dec. 17 in Los Angeles. Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, June 11 at 10:00 AM local time. To purchase tickets for the tour, visit here.

Screen Violence is Chvrches’ fourth studio album and their first since 2018’s Love is Dead. Mxdwn author Ally Tatosian reviewed Love is Dead, writing, “Love is Dead is something out of the ordinary for a band that is always so ahead of the indie game. The album bleeds emotion and is clearly here to make a statement, though we might not know exactly who, what, where, when or why Mayberry is examining why love might really be dead. In any case, Chvrches prove their uniqueness once again and leave the listener wanting more like a juicy, gossip– filled story.” Past Chvrches albums include Every Open Eye (2015) and The Bones of What You Believe (2013).

Chvrches: Screen Violence Tracklisting
1. Asking For A Friend
2. He Said She Said
3. California
4. Violent Delights
5. How Not To Drown
6. Final Girl
7. Good Girls
8. Lullabies
9. Nightmares
10. Better If You Don’t

Chvrches Fall 2021 Tour Dates:

11/09 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
11/10 Austin, TX – ACL Live
11/12 Austin, TX – ACL Live
11/14 Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
11/15 Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
11/17 Minneapolis, MN – Armory
11/18 Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater
11/19 Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
11/20 Columbus, OH – Express Live!
11/22 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
11/23 Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
11/26 New York, NY – Terminal 5
11/27 New York, NY – Terminal 5
11/30 Washington, DC – Anthem
12/01 Boston, MA – House of Blues
12/02 New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
12/03 Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
12/05 Cincinnati, OH – Ovation
12/06 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
12/08 Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom
12/09 Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
12/10 Salt Lake City, UT – Union
12/11 Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
12/13 San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
12/14 San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
12/16 San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
12/17 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat