[Cover photo credit to Simon Russell]

Sean O’Hagan will be releasing his 11th studio album for his long-running High Llamas project on March 29, 2024, titled Hey Panda via Drag City. He’s also released the title-track single + video.

Discussing the “Hey Panda” single, O’Hagan notes:

I spent lock down and recovery as a TikTok fan of a Panda bear who ate giant carrots every day. It made me so happy. I think as crazy as TikTok is, it also fosters a community, especially between us and animals… not sure if the animals know. I wanted it to be a Khalid meets Disclosure tune. The subs picking up every beat. But as it’s High Llamas… the key changes are there…sorry.

Hey Panda is the first new High Llamas record since 2016. For this album, O’Hagan was “determined to let go” both in terms of subject matter and in terms of expected sounds.

O’Hagan found himself “opened up” by the sounds of music brought into the house by his adult children and more. In addition to the more traditional contributions he made to The Coral’s 2023 Sea of Mirrors album, plus his score for the Safdie Brothers’ 2022 film production, Funny Pages, O’Hagan has drawn inspiration from working with Fryars, Rae Morris, King Krule, Pearl and The Oysters, to name a few.

Hey Panda is aided by two co-writes from Bonnie “Prince” Billy, guest vocals from Rae Morris and Sean’s daughter Livvy, and additional production twists from Fryars.