UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA announce NZ shows in Jan / reveal new album details

It has been announced, this morning, that UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA will perform one NZ show only two NZ shows in early January  - at Wellington’s Bodega on Friday 4th January, and Auckland’s Cassette Nine on Thursday 10th January 2013 (as well as playing support for Weezer / at Rhythm & Alps)

Unknown Mortal Orchestra recently signed with Jagjaguwar for the 2013 release of their second album which will be titled II – Ruban Nielson has revealed the new record’s sonic reference points include Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, the Beatles, and Led Zeppelin and in an interview with Pitchfork offered that the new record contains “just a little bit more ambition” than the self titled debut.

While UMO have a live line-up of bassist Jacob Portrait and drummer Greg Rogrove; as was the case with the debut, II is entirely self produced with Ruban performing most of the album himself as well (Kody and others helped out on drums when needed).

Ruban has also revealed that between finishing the first record and starting the second he was touring the whole times – so the new record is ‘lonely’ – “You’re on the road, hanging out, getting disillusioned about everything, thinking about how you’re going to die.” he said.

You should probably read the whole interview at Pitchfork – it’s awesome – quote “I feel like it’s OK to just pretend that dubstep doesn’t exist.” and he calls Animal Collective “a little bit crass”