Patrick Wolf has officially announced his highly anticipated seventh studio album, Crying The Neck, set for release on April 25 via Apport/Virgin Music. Alongside this announcement, the British singer-songwriter has unveiled the album’s first single, Dies Irae, a haunting and ethereal track that delves deep into themes of life, loss, and acceptance.
Explore
A Song of Life and Loss: The Meaning Behind ‘Dies Irae’
The title Dies Irae is derived from the Latin Requiem Mass, translating to The Day of Wrath. The song incorporates a string arrangement inspired by the medieval Gregorian chant of the same name, giving it an air of mysticism and historical depth.
In a press release, Wolf described Dies Irae as a reflection on the last days spent with a loved one, calling it an “affirmation of life in the face of inevitable loss.” He explained, “I wrote this song to give myself another day I didn’t have with my mother during her rapid descent in illness.” The lyrics, he noted, were penned as an imagined final conversation with his mother in her art studio, leading into the garden as evening fell. His sister, Jo Apps, contributed backing vocals in the final days of mixing, adding an emotional layer to the song’s profound narrative.
The Return of Patrick Wolf After 13 Years
Crying The Neck marks Wolf’s first full-length studio album in over a decade, following 2012’s Sundark and Riverlight. The album, which serves as the first installment of a planned four-album series, was written and recorded in his home studio in Ramsgate.
Wolf showcases his multi-instrumentalist talents in this project, playing a variety of instruments including the viola, Appalachian dulcimer, baritone ukulele, kantale, and Atari. The album also features collaborations with artists such as Zola Jesus, Serafina Steer (known for her work with Jarvis Cocker), Seb Rochford of Polar Bear, and Jo Apps.
Tracklist for ‘Crying The Neck’
- Reculver
- Limbo (ft. Zola Jesus)
- The Last Of England
- Jupiter
- On Your Side
- Oozlum
- Dies Irae
- The Curfew Bell
- Lughnasa (ft. Serafina Steer)
- Song Of The Scythe
- Better Or Worse
- Hymn Of The Haar
- Foreland
2025 UK & European Tour Dates Announced
In support of the album, Wolf has announced a UK and European tour set to kick off on May 8 in Manchester. The tour will include stops in major cities such as London, Berlin, Paris, and Milan, before concluding in Vienna on June 6.
Full Tour Schedule:
May
8 – Manchester – Gorilla
10 – Gateshead – The Glasshouse
11 – Glasgow – St Luke’s
13 – Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
15 – London – HERE at Outernet
16 – Bristol – The Lantern
20 – Cologne – Gebaude 9
21 – Hamburg – Grunspan
22 – Leipzig – UT Connewitz
23 – Berlin – Heimathafen
24 – Warsaw – Niebo
26 – Ghent – Club Wintercircus
27 – Amsterdam – Tolhuistuin
28 – Paris – Trabendo
29 – Zurich – Dynamo
31 – Milan – Santeria Toscana 31
June
1 – Bologna – Locomotiv
3 – Munich – Ampere
4 – Prague – Lucerna Music Bar
6 – Vienna – Theater Akzent
Tickets and Pre-Orders
General ticket sales for the tour will begin on Friday, February 7, at 10 AM GMT. Fans can also pre-order Crying The Neck via Apport/Virgin Music.
