Today, Turkuaz has announced the Sept. 9 release of their two final full-length albums, Paradiso, inspired by the band’s recent sound, which draws on synth and electronic, and Apollyon, a funk-laden 12-track that pays homage to their groovy roots. Additionally, they have shared the single “Strange People (Strange Times)” and its B-side “Feel No Pain.”
The forthcoming albums were recorded before the 2021 exit of several band members amid the ensemble’s final tour, which left two founding members, Taylor Shell and Dave Brandwein, to polish their final albums, which feature the group’s former members. “Turkuaz is releasing these records from beyond the grave,” Brandwein, the group’s frontman, remarked. He went on to add, “We didn’t plan on these being the last albums when deciding to give them the heaven and hell themes, but it certainly seems like we must have known something in retrospect.”
In preparation for today’s exclusive announcement pertaining to Turkuaz’s impending albums, Brandwein shared his thoughts behind Paradiso, Apollyon, “Strange People (Strange Times)” and the band’s breakup. In a statement shared with Relix, Brandwein revealed: “It’s bittersweet finally putting these records out. Taylor and I are obviously sad about the break-up of the band. Though we have our frustrations, what seems most important right now is to give something to the fans that have supported us all these years, and we hope that two full albums of new Turkuaz material will serve as a half-way decent consolation prize in lieu of being able to tour anymore.”
He continued, “These albums are the band of 9 people that our fans grew to know and love. It’s the last time all of us will have worked together on music in this way, and I’m so glad that we were able to finish it up together before the shit hit the fan.” Brandwein added, “This release is a celebration of the legacy and sound that the 9 of us built together.”
According to Brandwein, the forthcoming albums show two very different sides of Turkuaz. The musician views Apollyon as an old-school take on the group’s sound, drawing on an increasingly raw edge that still allows room for elaborate grooves and the band’s true funky spirit. Whereas, Paradiso is a modern, synth-laden exploratory that captures elements of Turkuaz’s developed tone in more recent years. Moreover, the pair of albums allow fans to experience a certain totality for Turkuaz, one that has been summed up rhythmically and with the precision of an understood ending.
Coupled with today’s album announcement is the release of “Strange People (Strange Times)” and its B-side “Feel No Pain.” Brandwein sees a correlation between the single and the pandemic as a relatable entry point for listeners, he remarked on the shared experience which can simply be captured in the straightforward track title. He stretched his thoughts to connect to the overall album release, “Of course, in the world of Turkuaz it applies in some entirely unique respects as well. Releasing albums posthumously after the break-up of a band is a strange process to say the least. In addition to being an appropriate choice, it also happens to be one of our favorites.”
Brandwein added that “Strange People (Strange Times)” started as a demo that Craig Brodhead was working on for a side project. He divulges, “[Brodhead] sent it my way and I immediately pushed for it to be a Turkuaz song. This is another one that I think fits the situation and the times we’re living in pretty damn well even though it was written a couple years ago. Some might say that the first track on an album being 8 minutes long is a bad idea – to them we say, ‘too bad!’”
Brandwein concluded, “The truth of the matter is, this band started with Taylor and myself. We conceived of the whole thing between just the two of us sitting in my bedroom studio in Boston many years ago, and now here we are again just the two of us. It’s come full circle in a way.” Bred out of what Brandwein has deemed a full circle experience, Turkuaz’s final albums deliver two unique sides to the band, which flex distinct facets that showcase a decade worth of hard work and expertise.
In addition to comments on the single and new albums, Brandwein also touched on Turkuaz’s breakup. He shared, “People often ask me ‘what happened?’ It’s hard to sum up 10 years of complicated relationships into a single answer of ‘what happened.’ It had to do with growing tension, power dynamics, Dani and I breaking up, my substance issues, money, the pandemic, life on the road and a whole lot more. It had just reached its limit. I wish it had gone differently, but in some ways, it happened exactly how it needed to.”
Pre-save Strange People (Strange Times)” and its B-side “Feel No Pain” as well as the extended album version of “Strange People (Strange Times)” here.
For more information on Turkuaz, visit their official website.
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