Saul Williams has joined forces with Zürich based art rock group District Five on a new single called “Push,” a direct and unsparing piece of political music that serves as the latest preview of the band’s forthcoming album GLUT, due May 29 via Stone Pixel Records.

The track is built on a crackling instrumental bed that started as a jam and was transformed, with Williams’ words, into something sharper. District Five moves between shuffled time signatures and a wide sonic vocabulary on the track, drawing on elements of art rock, post punk and jazz while staying tightly focused on the message. Williams, who earned his first Grammy nomination this year and recently appeared in Sinners, brings his characteristic spoken word delivery to the song, his voice precise and unhurried over the band’s churning backdrop. The lyrics leave nothing to interpretation. Williams calls plainly for an end to genocide, liberation for Palestine, the fall of empire, reparations and power to the people.

The accompanying animated video, made by artist j4y, captures the fractured rhythm of a New York City day. The visuals are jittery and kinetic, cutting between images that feel disjointed but somehow hold together, mirroring the tension in the music itself.

“Push” follows an earlier single, “Place Your Bet,” a more interior track built around Juno-106 synths and a vocal melody that drifts toward Nick Drake territory. The two songs suggest a record comfortable moving between moods and textures. GLUT was recorded in December 2024 and January 2025 at Vojkos Studio in Zurich. The band, which consists of Paul Amereller on drums and percussion, Tapiwa Svosve on vocals, synth and sax, Vojko Huter on vocals, guitar and synth and Xaver Rüegg on bass, has been together for over ten years.

Williams has been one of the more active collaborators in music over the past year. mxdwn previously covered his joint album with producer Carlos Niño as well as his collaboration with Deerhoof on “Under Rats” earlier in 2025.

Photo Credit: Marissa Rose Ficara