Scotland’s favourite miserabilists Arab Strap have unveiled a new album, new single and a handful of full-band live shows for 2024. Tickets for the tour go on general sale at 10am on Friday 26 January, with a fan pre-sale at 10am on Wednesday 24 January. Scroll to the bottom of this article for a full list of the band’s UK tour dates. 

Titled I’m totally fine with it 👍 don’t give a fuck anymore 👍, the eighth studio album from Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton’s post-rock act will be released on Friday 10 May via Rock Action Records. According to a press release, the album will examine ‘urgent, timely themes, such as conspiracy theories, online addiction, and the forgotten souls of our seemingly connected planet.’ 

Moffat says of the album’s lead single ‘Bliss’: ‘It’s about women being terrorised online; it’s about cowardice and bigotry. It’s about how we expose ourselves on social platforms while hiding alone at home. But you can dance to it too!’ After a few listens we can confirm it’s an absolute banger, energetically combining scathing social commentary with an irresistible lo-fi beat. Listen to the song, accompanied by a music video from award-winning director Ains, below. 

Starting at Carlisle’s The Brickyard on Monday 20 May, the sex-slathered Falkirk lads will then head to venues in Sunderland, Birmingham, London, Manchester and Leeds, with a final date at Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom on Saturday 21 September. 

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Strap’s second album Philophobia in 2023, we wrote a track-by-track of the album, stating, ‘Philophobia cuts to the heart of smalltown Scottish living more than any album that’s come before or since.’ Read our retrospective on the album here. 

I’m totally fine with it 👍 don’t give a fuck anymore 👍track list:

1. ‘Allatonceness’
2. ‘Bliss’
3. ‘Sociometer Blues’
4. ‘Hide Your Fires’
5. ‘Summer Season’
6. ‘Molehills’
7. ‘Strawberry Moon’
8. ‘You’re Not There’
9. ‘Haven’t You Heard’
10. ‘Safe & Well’
11. ‘Dreg Queen’
12. ‘Turn Off The Light’

Arab Strap’s 2024 UK tour dates: 
The Brickyard, Carlisle, Monday 20 May 
Fire Station, Sunderland, Tuesday 21 May 
Castle & Falcon, Birmingham, Wednesday 22 May
Lantern, Bristol, Thursday 23 May 
Koko, London, Friday 24 May 
Gorilla, Manchester, Saturday 25 May 
Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, Friday 26 May 
Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow, Saturday 21 September 

Tickets for Arab Strap’s 2024 UK tour go on sale at 10am on Friday 26 January. A fan pre-sale will take place at 10am on Wednesday 24 January.