Sufjan Stevens announces The Ascension, teases release of 12-minute lead single for Friday
Sufjan Stevens spread his angel wings and reentered our atmosphere earlier this year with Aporia, a mostly instrumental New Age album he recorded with his step-father, Lowell Brams. Now, the shape-shifting artist has swooped down to Earth once again to announce a new solo LP, The Ascension, which he’ll release via Asthmatic Kitty Records on September 25.
The Ascension is Stevens’ first proper solo album since 2015's Carrie & Lowell—one of our favorite records of the decade—and it will feature 15 new songs, including “America,” a 12-minute track that will debut this Friday as the LP’s lead single.
Stevens himself designed the cover art, which you can check out below, and the album will come with a 16-page booklet of his drawings. Little has been revealed about the album itself, though its pre-order page on Rough Trade describes The Ascension as “musically expansive and sweeping in thematic scope,” which, yep, definitely sounds like a Sufjan Stevens record.
Stay tuned to our A-Sides feature on Friday for our thoughts on “America.” Below, see the album’s artwork, as well as the track list with runtimes.
1. “Make Me An Offer I Cannot Refuse” (5:19)
2. “Run Away With Me” (4:07)
3. “Video Game” (4:16)
4. “Lamentations” (3:42)
5. “Tell Me You Love Me” (4:22)
6. “Die Happy” (5:47)
7. “Ativan” (6:32)
8. “Ursa Major” (3:43)
9. “Landslide” (5:04)
10. “Gilgamesh” (3:50)
11. “Death Star” (4:04)
12. “Goodbye To All That” (3:48)
13. “Sugar” (7:37)
14. “The Ascension” (5:56)
15. “America” (12:30)