Description
THE STROKES The kings of the New York indie revival are officially back.
The Strokes have announced the release of their highly anticipated seventh studio album, titled ‘Reality Awaits’.
This album—the first full-length release since the 2020 Grammy-winning *The New Abnormal*—marks the beginning of a bold new chapter for the band.
A large part of the album was recorded in Costa Rica under the direction of legendary producer Rick Rubin.
This meeting suggests a continuation of the expansive, synth-influenced textures found in their previous work, but with a tropical and experimental touch.
Vocalist Julian Casablancas delivers some of his most vulnerable and enigmatic performances to date, oscillating between detached observations and intense emotion. The project’s first preview, the single “Going Shopping,” premiered live at San Francisco’s Warfield ahead of its official digital release.
The track offers a relaxed, laid-back respite from their energetic indie anthems, reflecting an album obsessed with the concept of “the real” in an increasingly digital world. The album cover, designed by Johann Rashid Johann, is based on Richard Prince’s iconic 1989 work *Untitled (Cowboy)* and underscores the incisive commentary on authenticity reflected in the album’s title. The vinyl comes in a tri-fold die-cut sleeve—including a 12-panel fold-out insert—and is housed in a polybag.
