Baio

He’s conquered stages worldwide as the bassist for Grammy winners Vampire Weekend, remixed big guns like Broken Bells and Cults and DJ’d dancefloors from Barcelona to Byron Bay. Now, with his highly anticipated upcoming debut album The Names due for release this September and new single ‘Sister of Pearl’ out now, Frontier Touring can confirm that Baio will treat Melbourne and Sydney to two very special club shows next month.

‘Ridiculously catchy. A buoyant indie-pop experiment … hydraulic hooks that propel the song into a part of your brain that won’t let you forget it anytime soon.’ – Stereogum

‘Adopting almost David Bowie-esque vocals, the summery song makes you want to frolic in a field – or at least dance around the room – with its pounding drums, racing guitar and synth lines and infectious hook.’ – Purple Sneakers

The Names (out 18 September via Liberator Music/Glassnote Records) is Baio’s (aka Chris Baio) highly anticipated debut album: nine self-produced tracks written around ideas of space and of belonging, identity and finding a place in the world.

Back in May, Baio revealed the very first taste of the record in ‘Brainwash yyrr Face’ and now the first official single has arrived: ‘Sister of Pearl’. “I wanted to write a Bowie & Ferry-referencing throwback pop song,” says Baio of the new track, “with a simple, straight-forward lyrical message: be who you want to be.”

As Vampire Weekend’s bassist and backing vocalist, Baio has earned millions of fans across the globe with the release of three multi-platinum albums including most recently the Billboard #1 charting Modern Vampires Of The City in 2013.

With a string of acclaimed solo EPs already up his sleeve – 2012’s Sunburn, 2013’s Mira and 2014’s On&On&On&On/Missive – Baio’s solo adventures now come to the fore with his official debut.

“The Names is a record that has reverberated through my mind for much of the last five years,” says its creator. “Its themes began to take shape when I moved from New York to London in 2013.” In London, Baio was struck with the city’s sky, green space and global-ness, elements that have all made it onto the record.

Off the back of a performance at Japan’s Summer Sonic, Melbourne and Sydney fans are in for a special treat as they get a sneak preview of The Names before its official release. With European dates set for September, this will be the first ever club shows for Baio’s brand new LP. Tickets will be snapped up fast, don’t be slow to grab yours!