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The eternally sunny indie stalwarts Belle And Sebastian will drop surprise new album Late Developers on Friday 13 January, their follow-up to 2022’s A Bit Of Previous.

Recorded during the same sessions as A Bit Of Previous, the collection of songs finds the band on typically cheery form. As stated in a press release for the album, ‘It is a full-hearted embrace of the band's brightest tendencies that is not only fresh and immediate but possessing of that Belle And Sebastian je ne sais quoi of a group that will always be there for you with the perfect word or melody for the moment.’

The perky Glaswegians also dropped the lead single from Late Developers today. Titled ‘I Don’t Know What You See In Me’, it’s an effervescent slice of pop accessibility that merges 80s synths with Stuart Murdoch’s trademark melodic perkiness. 

Says Murdoch: ‘I was bicycling across Scotland last summer, listening to a mix of this song. It was written and produced for us by our friend Pete “Wuh Oh” Ferguson.  As I listened to it, I felt lucky to be the first person to get to sing this song. 

‘I let my voice swoop and soar in ways that it maybe hasn’t before. And as I continued through fields of gold and green I allowed myself to forget it was Belle And Sebastian, and pretend it was the latest hit on some random radio station. All music is escape, and perhaps we managed to escape a little further than usual with this unexpected tune. Thanks Pete!’

Watch the music video  for ‘I Don’t Know What You See In Me’ exclusively on Facebook now.

Late Developers is set for release on Friday 13 January via Matador Records.