The Avalanches Release ‘Blue Shadows’ with Karen O
“Blue Shadows was an idea of Andy’s that was almost lost to time until Tony stumbled across it in an old folder and began championing it as a potential album song. It’s since become one of my favourite Avalanches tunes. Many moons later and thanks to the kindness of Claudio Casalini and the estate of Celso Valli, it looked like Tony’s dream for Blue Shadows might come true.
I included it in a selection of song ideas for Karen, we wanted her to hear it although I never imagined a vocal would be possible; the demo had such a peculiar, singular mood. What she recorded still amazes me after months of listening, it’s so achingly forlorn and somehow sounds as if it always existed as a song. I don’t know how that is possible, or what she was channelling, some people just have access to a higher plane I suppose!” Robbie Chater
“When Robbie sent me Blue Shadows I jumped at the chance to collaborate. The Avalanches last record We Will Always Love You was a gift to humanity in 2020 and I’ll count it as one of my Top 10 forever. The Avalanches frequency is high, I’m so happy to be asked to slide into it.” Karen O
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Blue Shadows heralds the second collaboration between The Avalanches and Karen O, the iconic solo artist and Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman having featured on Dial D For Devotion from the band’s 2020 album We Will Always Love You. Blue Shadows also marks the third taste of new music from The Avalanches in 2026, following Every Single Weekend with Jamie xx – hailed as “dancefloor-ready, Jet2-coded” (DIY), “straightforwardly joyful… euphoric” (whynow) and a “summer-ready banger” (NME) – and Together with Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza and Prentiss, described by CLASH as “a riot of colour – the group’s plunderphonic inclinations remain, and this feels rooted in the club experience.”
The Avalanches recently performed at Primavera Sound Barcelona and announced a run of London headline shows as part of Pitchfork Music Festival in November. Upcoming DJ sets include All Together Now (Ireland), Freakquencies (France, alongside The Dare), Poplar and C2C (Italy), and Les Nuits Weekender (Belgium), with more dates to be announced.