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Yann Tiersen will release his seventh studio album, Skyline, on April 17, 2012 via Anti- Records. Skyline finds Tiersen taking a confident step forward, cementing the sound of its darker sister, the critically acclaimed Dust Lane.

Says Tiersen, "Strangely while Skyline musically comes across as lighter and happier than Dust Lane the subject matter is somewhat darker - there is certainly a sense of moving on and what thoughts are left having dealt with loss".

"Monuments," the first single release from Skyline, shows Tiersen and his band own the world he now inhabits, a world of vintage synths, electric guitars, all unpinned by his incredible songwriting and musicianship. It's a marked contrast to the man that people imagine they know (Tiersen also wrote the international soundtrack hits for the films Amelie and Goodbye Lenin), but it's a world that he would argue he's been in all along - it's only now everyone else is catching up."

In "Monuments" a lyrical repetition muses our place in the world and the traces of ourselves we leave behind - "all monuments of men, they're sinking in vain". And yet, wrapped in a chorus of vocals and shimming guitars the message isn't dark, rather it's full of hope.

Skyline was recorded between Paris, San Francisco & and Ouessant a tiny island off the coast of West Britanny and mixed by Ken Thomas (Sigur Ros, M83, David Bowie, Psychic TV). As always the music stems from Tiersen, whose long periods of recording alone are broken with spells with input from a cast of musicians. An array of vintage synths add billowing, analogue textures, electric guitars and bass bring layers of fuzz and distortion. Songs slip from their moorings, take off on new and unexpected currents. "My plan was also to play with contrast between electric and quite dense parts and more sober and minimal quiet parts including piano and strings," he adds. So, voices join together in chorus, arcing violins and crashing drums build towards mighty fanfares - but then, clouds part, squall recedes to silence, and mournful piano and strings guide you home.

YANN TIERSEN ON TOUR

26th Apr 2012 Union Transfer Philadelphia PA 27th Apr 2012 Irving Plaza, NYC 28th Apr 2012 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 29th Apr 2012 Royale Boston Boston MA 3rd May 2012 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland OH 4th May 2012 Metro Chicago IL 5th May 2012 First Ave, Minneapolis, MN 9th May 2012 Showbox at the Market, Seattle, WA 10th May 2012 Wonder Ballroom Portland OR 11th May 2012 Regency Ballroom San Francisco CA 12th May 2012 The Music Box Los Angeles CA 14th May 2012 The Belly-Up Tavern Solana Beach CA 15th May 2012 Rialto Theatre Tucson AZ 17th May 2012 Trees Dallas TX 18th May 2012 Emo's East Austin TX 19th May 2012 Fitzgerald's Houston TX 20th May 2012 House of Blues New Orleans LA 22nd May 2012 Beacham Theatre Orlando FL 23rd May 2012 Grand Central Miami FL 24th May 2012 Variety Playhouse Atlanta GA 25th May 2012 Cat's Cradle Carrboro NC 26th May 2012 9:30 Club Washington DC