Kero Kero Bonito made a turn to sparkling shoegaze with their sophomore album, Time ‘n’ Place, which came out last year, and today they’re releasing a new song that hints at yet another direction. “When The Fires Come,” which the band promises is from a forthcoming project, has a bit more of the synth levity that they displayed on 2016’s Bonito Generation, but it’s more patient and more overtly doom-and-gloom.

It’s a song about the end times delivered through a gauzy lens. “All around the world they weep now, they know it’s true/ The sun’s returned to send us home to earth,” Sarah Perry sings on it. “Everybody takes their time making work to do/ But no one will be left here to remember us.”

“‘When the Fires Come’ is about the worldwide wildfires heralding the seemingly imminent climate change apocalypse,” the band wrote in a statement. “It was partially inspired by our experience on tour in North California last year, when we got caught underneath the smoke cloud from the Camp Fire. The video was shot on the hottest day of 2019 in Britain.”

Watch a video for the song and listen to it below.

TOUR DATES:
09/13 Saint Petersburg, Russia @ The Place
09/14 Moscow, Russia @ Pluton
10/03 Nashville, TN @ Basement East #
10/04 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West #
10/05 Charlotte, NC @ The Underground #
10/06 Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall #
10/08 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #
10/09 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer #
10/10 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel #
10/11 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club #
10/12 Montreal, QC @ Fairmount Theatre #
10/13 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre #
10/15 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop #
10/16 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick #
10/17 Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre #
10/18 Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre #
10/19 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe #
10/22 Calgary, AB @ Commonwealth Bar #
10/24 Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theater #
10/25 Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre #
10/27 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom #
10/29 Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver #
10/30 San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom #
10/31 Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre
11/01 Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern #
11/02 Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
11/03 Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre #
11/05 Dallas, TX @ Canton Hall #
11/06 Austin, TX @ Mohawk #
11/07 San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger #
11/08 Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar #
11/09 New Orleans, LA @ The Republic #
11/10 Tallahassee, FL @ The Wilbury #
11/12 Gainesville, FL @ High Dive #
11/13 Orlando, FL @ The Social #
11/14 Tampa, FL @ Orpheum #
11/15 Miami, FL @ Gramps
11/17 Mexico City, Mexico @ Corona Capital
12/07 Singapore, Singapore @ The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions @ Pasir Panjang Power Station
# w/ Negative Gemini

“When The Fires Come” is out now.