Mature Themes by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti

New Album Out Now

“The work of a unique mind.” – NME
“A fascinating listen.” – The Times (4/5)
“Mature Themes is the best thing Pink has ever done” – Stereogum
“A perfectly-crafted album, rich in just about everything.” – The Fly (4.5/5)
“We should salute Ariel Pink. Let him into your life. Love him.” – Guardian Guide
“A brilliantly odd piece of work that pushes the weirdness of Ariel Pink to new heights.” –The Observer

Today sees the release of Mature Themes, the new album from West Coast natives Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti.

Before Today, released in 2012, was the band’s 4AD debut, offering the first sign that the intriguingly scatalogical music Ariel had been making for over a decade was finally ossifying into a coherent form. For many it seemed that Ariel had finally reached the wider audience his early recordings had hinted was possible. With Mature Themes, Haunted Graffiti have forged a record that raises the bar once again.

Mature Themes is a self-produced affair, with former member Cole MGN drafted in to provide some drum programming and additional mixing duties. Far removed from Ariel’s early bedroom recordings, the sardonically titled Mature Themes reflects a more collaborative process, with the often-overlooked virtuoso musicianship of the band bought to the fore. “There are definitely not any links to my lo-fi origins”, Ariel recently told Spin magazine. “It’s so diverse but so different from anything I’ve done before. In a sense, it’s really the record I wanted to make back when I made Before Today, but couldn’t. We had time to let our hair down and try new things.”

While the creative process was new, familiar Ariel Pink signatures remain. In fact,Mature Themes feels like the definitive Haunted Graffiti record, a patchwork of modern America, its esoteric reference points and moments of lyrical lucidity a twilight excursion through backwater LA and late-night TV channel hopping.

Buy from:

4ad Shop (US) / iTunes / Amazon / Rough Trade / HMV / Insound /

September
7th – Austin, TX – Mohawk *$
8th – Dallas, TX – Granada Theatre *$
10th – Atlanta, GA – Goat Farm (Goodson Yard Room) *$
11th – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle*$
13th – Washington DC – 9:30 Club *$
14th – New York, NY – Webster Hall *!
15th – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer *%
16th – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club *%
18th – Montreal, Quebec – Cabaret Du Mile End *%
19th – Toronto, Ontario – Lee’s Palace *%
20th – Oberlin, OH – Oberlin College
21st – Chicago, IL – Metro *#
22nd – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Cafe *#
24th – Denver, CO – The Summit Music Hall *#
25th – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge *#
27th – Vancouver, British Columbia – The Rickshaw Theatre*
28th – Seattle, WA – Crocodile Theater / Decibel Festival
29th – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom*

October
1st – San Francisco, CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club *#
5th – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre *

November
7th – Kazimer, Liverpool
8th – Stereo, Glasgow
9th – Illuminations Festival @ York Hall, London
12th – Trix, Antwerp
13th – Melkweg, Amsterdam
14th – La Gaite Lyrique, Paris
16th – Gebaude 9, Cologne
17th – Prinzenbar, Hamburg
19th – Vega Big Room, Copenhagen
20th – Debaser Midis, Stockholm
22nd – Tavastia, Helsinki
24th – Hydrozagadka, Warsaw
25th – Festaal Kreuzberg, Berlin
27th – Ampere, Munich

December
6th – Babylon, Istanbul

* = w/ James Ferraro
$ = w/ Moon Diagrams
! = w/ TEEN
% = w/ Phedre
# = w/ D?m-Funk