Last October, Unknown Mortal Orchestra — the psych-pop project led by Ruban Nielson — released a new single, “I Killed Captain Cook,” and teased a double album for release in 2023. Well, today they are making that announcement official: the double-album V is due out March 17 and, according to a press release, it “draws from the rich traditions of West Coast AOR, classic hits, weirdo pop and Hawaiian Hapa-haole music.” UMO are also sharing a lead single, “Layla,” which comes with a music video directed by Vira-Lata and is meant to be the first of a two-part series.

Recorded in Palm Springs, V is definitely a family affair, as it features Nielson’s father, Chris, on saxophone and flute and longtime UMO member Jake Portrait. It was also created amid Nielson’s pandemic travels back and forth from New Zealand and Portland to Hawaii, where his mother (Deedee Aipolani Nielson, a Kanaka Maoli) is from.

“In Hawaii, everything shifted off of me and my music,” Nielson says. “Suddenly, I was spending more time figuring out what others need and what my role is within my family. I also learned that things I thought were true of myself are bigger than I thought. My way of making mischief – that’s not just me – that’s my whole Polynesian side. I thought I was walking away from music to focus on family, but the two ended up connecting.”

Listen to and watch “Layla” below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “The Garden”
02 “Guilty Pleasures”
03 “Meshuggah”
04 “The Widow”
05 “In The Rear View”
06 “That Life”
07 “Layla”
08 “Shin Ramyun”
09 “Weekend Run”
10 “The Beach”
11 “Nadja”
12 “Keaukaha”
13 “I Killed Captain Cook”
14 “Drag”

TOUR DATES:
03/20 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House
03/21 – Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
03/22 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
03/22-26 – Boise, ID @Treefort Music Festival
03/25 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre
03/27 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
03/28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
03/29 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
03/31 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
04/01 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
04/02 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
04/04 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
04/05 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
04/06 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
04/07 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
04/08 – Chicago, IL @ Radius
04/10 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
04/11 – Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
04/13 – New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
04/14 – New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
04/15 – New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
04/18 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
04/19 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
04/21 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
04/22 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
05/28 – Brussels, Belgium @ Core Festival
05/30 – Bexhill, UK @ De La Warr Pavilion
05/31 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
06/15 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
06/16 – Leeds, UK @ Stylus
06/17 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 Galvanizers

V will be out 3/17 via Jagjaguwar. Pre-order it here.