Gary Numan has dropped another single from his forthcoming ‘Intruder’ album.
With less than a month to go before the album release on May 21, the former Tubeway Army star has released Now and Forever, which is the final teaser to preview the singer’s 18th LP.
Now and Forever presents a subtle change of tone to previous releases Intruder, I am Screaming and Saints and Liars, with comparatively luminous synths and warm female backing vocals establishing a mood of hope rather than pure despair.
That ambience also resonates in the lyrics, which are viewed from the perspective of a world which has purged the population that plagued it, and offers the possibility for redemption at some point in the distant future: “Until it’s your time, I’ll wait here for you, forever.”
Of the track, he says: “This is one of two songs on Intruder where I tried to write a lyric that continued with the earth speaking theme of the album, but also had a second, entirely different meaning within it.
“In the case of Now and Forever the lyric is not only a message from the earth to humanity, but also a message from me to my wife Gemma.”
After announcing ‘Intruder’, Gary explained the concept of his latest record, revealing the set “looks at climate change from the planet’s point of view”.
“If Earth could speak, and feel things the way we do, what would it say? How would it feel?” he posed.
“The planet sees us as its children now grown into callous selfishness, with a total disregard for it’s well being. It feels betrayed, hurt and ravaged. Disillusioned and heartbroken it is now fighting back. Essentially, it considers human kind to be a virus attacking the planet.
“Climate change is the undeniable sign of the Earth saying enough is enough, and finally doing what it needs to do to get rid of us, and explaining why it feels it has to do it.”
Recorded at Gary’s home studio in Los Angeles and at producer Ade Fenton’s studio in Bath, ‘Intruder’ is the fifth in the pair’s long-running collaboration, beginning with 2006’s ‘Jagged’.
‘Intruder’ is available to pre-order in a number of formats – including CD, 2LP coloured vinyl and cassette – from Gary’s store.
Pre-ordering the album grants access to a private area of Gary’s online store, featuring exclusive album text, audio and video updates documenting the creation of the project.