Bartees Strange has returned with “Heavy Heart,” his debut single on 4AD.
The video features Strange paying tribute to his father and grandfather by wearing their clothes — a floral button-down and cardigan — as the track builds to a crushing guitar riff. He’s accompanied by clowns and floral arrangements as he sheds the guilt he’s felt for years, from experiencing success over the pandemic to his grandfather’s death.
“Heavy Heart” marks Strange’s first new music since his 2020 debut Live Forever, for which he became a Rolling Stone Artist You Need to Know. “A big part of why I make music is so that people who look like me can feel like they can do it, too,” he said. “I hope that when a Black kid from Yukon, Oklahoma, picks up my record, they’re like, ‘Oh, this Black guy, he doesn’t know shit about music at all, but look what he did.’”
Strange will support Car Seat Headrest on tour this month, hitting three nights at New York’s Brooklyn Steel starting March 29. He’ll head overseas in May.
Anyone hoping Tyler The Creator is about to release a full jazz album may want to lower their expectations. The Odd Future founder has long incorporated jazz elements into both his music and production style. No matter which creative direction he chooses for a project, traces of jazz can be heard throughout much of his discography. Because of that, many fans have spent years wondering what it would sound like if he fully embraced the genre for an entire album.
Recent hints have sparked speculation that new music could be on the horizon. However, when an Instagram account suggested that a "new era" was approaching and claimed Tyler would dive further into his jazz influences, the rapper quickly dismissed the rumor. "not at all lol and do not get stuck on this idea please," he responded.
One reason fans began theorizing about a possible new project was a subtle update to Tyler's Instagram bio. According to Complex, the bio now says, "Satchmo, Sag Harbor," a phrase that appears to reference Louis Armstrong's famous nickname, Satchmo, as well as Sag Harbor, New York, a village known for serving as a refuge for Black families during the Jim Crow era.
While there is still no confirmation that Tyler will release new music this year, fans can look forward to the return of Camp Flog Gnaw. The annual festival is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on November 14 and 15. As is tradition, the full lineup has not yet been announced, but Tyler's attention to detail and track record with the event suggest attendees will have plenty to be excited about.
We will continue sharing any developments involving Tyler The Creator as they emerge. In the meantime, fans remain hopeful that new music will eventually arrive as a follow up to Chromakopia and Don’t Tap The Glass. Check out his comments above and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
