José González is back with his fifth studio album, Against the Dying of the Light, which is out March 27 via Mute/City Slang.
“Against The Dying Of The Light is a collection of songs reflecting on humanity,” says González. “Who we are – tribes of sentient apes with stories that sometimes are incompatible with each other and tools that could eventually lead to dystopia or extinction. It’s also a reflection of how we create hurdles to human flourishing by stubbornly clinging to dogmatic ideologies, where people follow dudes who pretend to know shit they don’t.”
The first single from the album is the title track. José says it’s “reflecting on humanity in 2025,” and is “about accepting who we are and what led us here, since the past can’t be changed. Then, about refocusing our attention on the challenges ahead, like pervert incentives and algorithms that aren’t in line with human flourishing. Even though natural selection led us here, we don’t have to do what is in the gene’s best interest. And even though cultural evolution led to our societies, we don’t have to keep all the narratives if they drag us down. And even though we have enormous opportunities with new technology that can eventually design and copy itself, we don’t have to build it right away if it has the potential to make us obsolete. We can rebel against these replicators, rebel against the dying of the light.”
You can watch the video, directed by Fredrik Egerstrand, below.
José will also be on tour this spring starting April 21 in Boston and hitting NYC at Brooklyn Steel on April 25. Tickets for all dates go on sale Friday, January 16 at 10 AM local time. All dates are listed below.
AGAINST THE DYING OF THE LIGHT:
A Perfect Storm
Etyd
Against The Dying Of The Light
For Every Dusk
Sheet
Pajarito
Losing Game (Sick)
Ay Querida
Rawls Slöja
Gymnasten
Just A Rock
You & We
Joy (Can’t Help But Sing)
JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ – US TOUR 2026
APRIL
21 – Boston, MA – Royale
22 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
23 – Washington, DC – 9:30 CLub
25 – New York, NY – Brooklyn Steel
27 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
28 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
MAY
1 – Seattle, WA – SODO
2 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
3 – San Francisco, CA – Castro Theater (SOLD OUT)
4 – San Francisco, CA – Bimbos
5 – Los Angeles, CA – The Bellwether
8 – Austin, TX – Mohawk Outside
9 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
11 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom