Listen to Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Lamentations’, the second part of his five-part album

Sufjan Stevens has shared the second part of his upcoming five-part album – listen to ‘Lamentations’ below.

The track is included on the second part of Stevens’ new 49-track album ‘Convocations’, which is due out next month.

• READ MORE: Sufjan Stevens – ‘The Ascension’ review: a sprawling and powerful dissection of modern humanity

Each of the five parts of the album are being released one-by-one in the run-up to the album’s full release. Earlier this month, Stevens shared the album’s first part, ‘Meditations’, before the ‘Lamentations’ release was previewed earlier this week by new track ‘Lamentation II’.

Following them will be ‘Revelations’ (April 22), ‘Celebrations’ (April 29) and ‘Incantations’ (May 6). The new instrumental record from Stevens will be released digitally on May 6 via Asthmatic Kitty. A 5xLP coloured vinyl edition of ‘Convocations’ will follow on August 20.

Listen to the 30-minute ‘Lamentations’ below.

The forthcoming project is comprised of five volumes – ‘Meditations’, ‘Lamentations’, ‘Revelations’, ‘Celebrations’ and ‘Incantations’ – and sees Stevens reflect “on a year of anxiety, uncertainty, isolation and loss” through 49 new songs.

Stevens created the album in tribute to his biological father, who died just two days after his 2020 album ‘The Ascension’ was released. According to a press release, each ‘Convocations’ volume represents “a different stage” of the mourning process.

Reviewing ‘The Ascension’ upon its release last year, NME said: “The unashamed pop feel of ‘The Ascension’ is regularly coupled with the sort of wiry electronics you might expect to hear in a Glastonbury dance tent at 4am.

“These anxious instrumentals echo the album’s uneasy outlook and fear of the future, and when they combine forces it often makes for an astonishing listen. The world is pretty shitty at the moment and it’s easy to feel helpless, but as the horror show that is 2020 continues to rumble on, ‘The Ascension’ is yet another ample soundtrack to rage-dance to.”

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