AceShowbiz - The Life have revealed details of their upcoming fourth studio album, Abstract/Natural, alongside the release of its compelling lead single, The Dollywagon.

The Hull-based band, known for their distinctive sound and storytelling, are set to drop the follow-up to their 2022 album North East Coastal Town on June 19 via Launchpad+ in collaboration with EMI North. Fans can now pre-order or pre-save the album ahead of its release.

The Dollywagon introduces listeners to swirling synths and energetic drumbeats, paired with rapid, stream-of-consciousness lyrics delivered by frontman Mez Sanders-Green. The song captures a protagonist torn between the urge to escape and confronting personal truths.

“I never wanted to leave myself, but I’m leaving now,” Sanders-Green sings, embodying a restless spirit propelled by the desire for new experiences: “The placard reads right to roam, and the boy is roaming.”

The track was penned during Sanders-Green’s 193-mile trek across the UK coast-to-coast route, tracing a path from the West Coast through the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, over moorlands, and finally arriving at the band’s home on the East Coast. This journey serves as both a literal and emotional backdrop for the song’s narrative.

“The Dollywagon explores universal themes of release and renewal — new adventures and beginnings,” Sanders-Green shared. “While walking, I turned the landscapes and encounters into vivid characters and scenes.”

He further described the song’s vibe as “a pulpy Northern-based western,” filled with cryptic imagery like farmers hanging dead moles on chicken wire, rugged mountains, and the enduring power of Mother Earth. The middle-eight section pays homage to fresh starts and optimism.

The single is accompanied by a striking black-and-white split-screen music video directed by James Cooper and Luke Hallett, enhancing the song’s atmospheric storytelling.

Abstract/Natural features ten tracks recorded at Life’s own Moon Factory studio in Hull. Production credits include Stewart Baxter and Oliver Varga, with mixing by James Kenosha and mastering by Stephen Kerrison.

Building on the motion and mood found in The Dollywagon, the album weaves narratives centered on folklore, personal evolution, fatherhood, and freedom, all deeply rooted in the band’s local landscape.

A press release describes Abstract/Natural as “a body of work that feels both intimate and outward-looking,” noting it originated not in rehearsals, but from Mez Sanders-Green’s poetry book.

Sanders-Green gradually shared lyrical snippets with his bandmates Stewart Baxter, Lydia Palmeira, and Mick Sanders, shaping the record into a cohesive exploration of change and identity.