THE BIG MESS (CLEAR W/ RED BLUE YELLOW & ORANGE)

On May 19, 2023, Merge Records will release The Big Mess, the first new full-length album from Tanlines since 2015, and their first for Merge.??The Big Mess is a pivot for the duo of Eric Emm and Jesse Cohen in many ways, the most obvious of which is their sound. Driven by Emm, who wrote and recorded much of The Big Mess in his home studio in Connecticut, Tanlines have stepped out from their synth-pop origins into a more organic, guitar-driven songwriting approach that gives his soulful baritone new terrain to roam.??The resulting record is a deft and still-danceable exploration of what Emm calls "introspective masculinity," what thoughtful relationships look like between father and son, between friends, and between the individual and societal expectations. The Big Mess is for Tanlines fans old and new alike, those who've succumbed to their wry, winking brand of pop music in the past, and those looking to soundtrack a late night in the future.