Mammal Hands have just dropped ‘Alia’s Abandon’, their first new music since 2023 and the first taste from their forthcoming album Circadia, set for release on February 27th. This marks a fresh direction for the band, with brothers Jordan and Nick Smart now joined by drummer Rob Turner (formerly of GoGo Penguin), who brings a new pulse to the trio’s evolving approach. It’s also their debut release with the legendary German label ACT. Speaking about it, they commented:

“We’re incredibly excited to join ACT for the release of ‘Circadia’. This album is about change, about the cycles of endings and new beginnings, and it feels like a perfect match — a moment where our own evolution as a band meets a label that has, for decades, put art and music at the heart of everything it does. ACT has released some of the most creative and influential instrumental music in the world, supporting artists who push boundaries, blending genres in ways that are both deeply emotional and genuinely original. Joining this lineage feels like stepping into the next level of our journey. The team is phenomenal, the ethos inspiring, and we’re excited to see how our music will grow in a new home that truly cherishes art and music”

Formed in Norwich in 2012, Mammal hands are known for their thrilling fusion of jazz, contemporary classical, electronica, folk and minimalism. With ‘Alia’s Abandon’, the trio are offering a first glimpse of what’s to come, blending their signature cinematic style with a more rhythmically-driven energy. Listen to the single below.

We’re only a month away from the release of Captured Spirits, the fourth album from instrumental outfit Mammal Hands. After sharing the magnificent first single ‘Chaser’, the drums/sax/piano trio of Jesse Barrett and brothers Jordan and Nick Smart and  are enticing us again with new single ‘Ithaca’. Wrap your ears around it now.

Captured Spirits is out on September 11th through Gondwana Records.

Formed in Norwich in 2012, instrumental trio Mammal Hands caught our attention in 2018 when they played a mesmerizing live show at London’s Field Day. Brothers Nick and Jordan Smart and Jesse Barrett tantalise the senses with their contemporary jazz compositions, flirting with a lot of genres from electronica and classical to folk, ambient and world music and cite influences such as Pharoah Sanders, Gétachèw Mekurya, Terry Riley, Steve Reich and Sirishkumar Manji. The trio have announced the release of their fourth album, Captured Spirits, touching on themes of existence and displacement. Jesse commented on the making of the album:

“I think with this record, there was a strong and renewed sense of collective enjoyment and appreciation for the process and each other’s contributions. After a long period of touring and a slow build up to the actual recording sessions we were able to mull over ideas for long periods, build on lessons from the past and pull our playing connection to an even deeper place. Realising each other’s visions for the whole and clearly understanding how they intersect”.

We´ll have to wait until September 11th for Captured Spirits to be out through Gondwana Records but we can already hear the magnificent first single ‘Chaser’. Here it is.