New Zealand alternative folk artist Reb Fountain has announced their new studio album Iris.

Revealed today, the album will arrive on October 1 via Flying Nun Records. The new single from the record titled “Beastie” comes with a music video directed by Lola Fountain-Best and shot at Everybody’s in Auckland. The artist said this about the new track:

”In Beastie, I wanted to explore and disrupt tales and tropes that separate ‘others’ from our ‘selves’. It’s easy to relegate evils to the ‘shameful past’; harder to confront our own current inhumanity, especially if one’s identity comes with benefits or losses. I wanted my eyes open and to speak in solidarity with resistance . . . and to give folks a chance to join in chorus . . . for in the absence of resistance we are complicit — rather than revert to a destructive default, I want to make a conscious choice for equity, justice, community, and love.
Botham Jean had just been murdered in his own apartment, mass incarceration and systemic racism in the criminal justice system had me grief-stricken, the massacre of worshippers in Christchurch broke my heart, the All Blacks would win, the All Blacks would lose and male violence against women would hit an all time high — and amidst all this I heard this phrase ‘Is That Us’. It was less a question, more reaching for belonging; would we buy that? Can we call it ours? Do we like it? Is this who we want to be? Can we collectively agree this is us? I wanted to consider it all …”

Pre-orders for Iris can be made here. This will be the follow-up to Reb Fountain’s self-titled album, which gained five New Zealand Music Awards nominations (Album of the Year, Best Alternative, Best Solo Artist, Best Album Artwork, and Best Engineer).