U2 release new album 'Carnaval de Luz' ahead of world tour

U2 will release their new studio album, Carnaval de Luz, on Friday, November 13. The 12-track record is produced by Jacknife Lee and serves as the lead-in to the band's upcoming world tour.

The album title translates to Carnival of Light in Spanish and Portuguese. The record draws its sonic foundation from the spoken introduction to the band's 2005 hit Vertigo, expanding that brief phrase into a full-length collection of songs. Critics have noted that the music sounds energetic and immediate, marking a departure from the heavier production styles found on the group's recent releases.

Guitarist Edge plays a central role in the album's sound. His work on the opening track, Go (Carnaval de Luz), and the riff on La Reina drives the pace of the record. The momentum continues on The Mirror Maker (Rosalía), which pays tribute to the Catalan pop star, and on Superficiality. The latter track features Bono's falsetto, a vocal style last prominently heard on the 1993 song Lemon.

The album includes a duet on the track Torn, featuring Dolly Parton. The recording was completed months before Parton's death and includes pedal steel guitar from Daniel Lanois, a long-time collaborator with the band. Brian Eno, who co-wrote the ballad The Greatest Show on Earth, also contributes synthesizer work to that specific track.

Bono, Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., and Adam Clayton are all in their 60s. The band released two earlier records this year, Days of Ash and Easter Lily, which suggested a return to the urgency of their early career. The new album maintains that lighter approach, avoiding the dense production that characterized their previous work, such as the 2023 release.

News of the upcoming tour has circulated widely, with ticket prices drawing comparisons to other major stadium acts. The concert schedule will support the new record, which Island Records will distribute. The album follows a period where the band released several projects that received mixed responses, including a collaboration with Apple and a lockdown-era reworking of their back catalogue.

The music on Carnaval de Luz covers a range of themes, from romance to the challenges of touring. The record includes moments of high energy alongside slower, reflective ballads. It stands as the band's first major studio release since the 2014 album Songs of Experience, bridging the gap between their legacy and current lineup.