If you know anything about Wolf Alice, you will know that they have never done things by halves. And by all accounts, they’re not starting now.
After weeks of teasing, they’ve dropped a new single called Bloom Baby Bloom — and it’s a proper shapeshifter. It’s big, weird, theatrical and somehow still feels like classic Wolf Alice. It’s also the first taste of their just-announced fourth album, The Clearing, which arrive on 29 August.
Sonically, they’ve gone full 70s — golden-era rock vibes with a whiff of Latin jazz, polished up by producer Greg Kurstin (the guy behind Adele, Foo Fighters, Beck… no small name). It’s a major label debut, and yeah, it sounds like it.
But beneath the gloss, there’s also grit too. Ellie Rowsell says she wanted to ditch the guitar-as-armour and lean into her voice as a “rock instrument.” Which she clearly does, belting like Axl Rose but still singing about womanhood, defiance, and all the shit that comes with it.
The video, directed by Colin Solal Cardo, brings All That Jazz energy — Rowsell surrounded by dancers, choreographed by Ryan Heffington (Euphoria, Sia). It’s a step into performance art territory, but it doesn’t feel forced. It actually feels earnt.
Lyrically, Bloom Baby Bloom is all about resilience. About rising through the dirt, literally. “Yes, I bloom, baby bloom / Every flower needs to neighbour with the dirt,” Ellie sings, like she’s done the therapy and come out swinging.
The Clearing has been described by the band as “a portrait of Wolf Alice standing on the precipice of a new decade.” If Blue Weekend was their cinematic heartbreak album, this feels like the defiant sequel — messier, more human, and twice as ambitious.
And while Ellie’s blooming, guitarist Joff Oddie’s been in Parliament, calling out the slow death of UK grassroots music. Touring’s expensive, Brexit’s a nightmare, and according to Joff, music’s becoming “a middle and upper class sport.” Can’t argue with that.
The Clearing drops 29 August via Sony. Pre-orders are live now.
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