As Mystery Jets prepare to unveil their seventh studio album, A Hole to See the Sky Through, the Eel Pie Island mainstays find themselves at the dawn of a new era. Following the release of their recent single ‘Black Sage’, the band has detailed the profound personal and creative shifts that shaped their latest work, set for release on August 21 via Fiction Records.
The album’s title draws inspiration from a 1961 artwork by Yoko Ono. Frontman Blaine Harrison encountered the piece at the British Museum, struck by its minimalist yet powerful directive. Recorded with producer Leo Abrams—known for his work with Wild Beasts and Frightened Rabbit—the record seeks to offer a new lens through which to view a turbulent world. Harrison explains that the message encouraged a change in perspective by simply changing the frame through which one views life, acting as an aperture for positivity in contrast to the curated, often fake versions of the world presented by technology.
For Mystery Jets, this new collection represents the final chapter of a thematic trilogy. While 2016’s Curve of the Earth adopted a cosmic, top-down view of existence, and 2020’s A Billion Heartbeats focused on the grit of human conflict at street level, A Hole to See the Sky Through looks from the void back toward the point of origin. It is an album defined by the search for hope amidst worsening global conditions. The creative process was bolstered by founding member Henry Harrison, whose architectural background helped the band map out complex thematic links between their past and present works. The result is one of their most eclectic offerings to date, ranging from the heavy rock of the title track to deeply personal tributes to lost friends.
The evolution of the band’s sound is inextricably linked to a significant lineup change. Following the departures of guitarists William Rees and Jack Flanagan, the group welcomed twins Eddie and Ollie Taylor. Harrison and drummer Kapil Trivedi describe the arrival of the Taylor brothers as a “seismic cosmic event” that occurred during a pivotal night years prior. Harrison recalls a Radio X show that marked William Rees’ final performance with the band. He remembers waking up that morning feeling it was the end of the road with Rees, only for the twins to enter their lives that same night, marking a serendipitous new beginning for the group.
Reflecting on the broader musical landscape, Harrison notes a shift in the fortunes of guitar-driven music. He recalls a moment of despair in 2017 following The Maccabees’ farewell show, fearing for the future of the genre. However, with the rise of acts like Geese and the massive success of Tame Impala, he sees encouraging signs of a resurgence. Now, as a revitalized unit, Mystery Jets are ready to step back into the spotlight, armed with a record that balances the weight of the past with a clear-eyed vision for the future.