Courtney Barnett has announced a new album, End of the Day.
The entirely instrumental record, comprised of 17 improvisations, was originally created as part of the score to the documentary Anonymous Club. The album initially came together in 2021, when Barnett and her collaborator Stella Mozgawa met with filmmaker Danny Cohen in a Melbourne studio.
End of the Day finds Barnett prioritising atmosphere, tone, and texture over her traditional song structures. Both utilising new gear, Barnett and Mozgawa improvised as Cohen played the final edit of Anonymous Club, with one guiding principle – “nothing too maudlin, obvious, or instructive, nothing to tell the future audience how they should be feeling about Barnett’s life onscreen/”
To celebrate her album announcement, the Melbourne singer-songwriter has released the first three tracks of there album, “Start Somewhere”, “Life Balance”, and “First Slow”, which are all available to stream below.
All three tracks come with a visual accompaniment directed by filmmaker Claire Marie Vogel, which you can also watch below.
In sadder news, Barnett has announced that her acclaimed label, Milk! Records, will be coming to an end at the end of the year. Founded in 2012 as a vehicle for the release of Barnett’s debut EP, Milk! has since grown to be a welcoming home to dozens of artists including Jen Cloher, Liz Stringer, Tiny Ruins, Hand Habits, Sleater-Kinney and many more.
“It has been one of the great honours of my life to be part of this incredible community and to work alongside so many amazing artists,” Barnett says. “Thank you to every single person who has been part of the Milk! Records journey, it wouldn’t be the same without you.”
Courtney Barnett’s End of the Day is out September 8th via Milk! Records (pre-save/pre-order here).
End of the Day Tracklist:
“Start Somewhere”
“Life Balance”
“First Slow”
“A to B”
“(Electricity)”
“Two Circles Reflecting”
“End of the Day”
Floating Down”
“Spring Ascends”
“Intro”
“B to C”
“Like Water”
“Gold Room”
Sun Through”
“River”
Get on With It”
“Eternity Repeat”
