Vampire Weekend Returned With First New Music In Five Years (2024 In Review)

12-05-2024

Vampire Weekend earned a top 24 story of February 2024 when they released their first new music in five years with the two new tracks "Capricorn" and "Gen-X Cops," that arrived along with accompanying music videos.

According to Nasty Little Man, each of the new tunes is accompanied by a new video built around footage of New York circa 1988 by Only God Was Above Us album art photographer Steven Siegel. Directed by longtime Vampire Weekend creative director Nick Harwood, "Capricorn" is a visual journey to late '80s New York City that showcases the alluring yet grimy era of the city- before breaking to modern day Vampire Weekend.

"Gen-X Cops," directed by Drew Pearce (The Fall Guy, Hotel Artemis, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Iron Man 3), takes a decidedly different route to authenticity, utilizing the exact film-stocks Siegel used in 1988, and tracking down the only authentic 1970s New York subway car on the west coast. Pearce and DP Doug Emmett then meticulously researched the actual light patterns of 1980s subway tunnels in order to build a rig that would emulate them as well as shooting "Gen-X Cops" on 8mm and 16mm cameras to ensure maximum precision.

The songs are the first taste of the band's forthcoming album, "Only God Was Above Us," that will arrive on April 5th via Columbia Records.