"Hunger of the Pine" - Alt-J ft Miley Cyrus [Lyrics & SoundCloud Audio] | Zumic

Alt-J have just released "Hunger Of The Pine," their first new music since their 2012 hit album, An Awesome Wave. Listen to the new song above, via SoundCloud.

Beginning with an electronic pulsating rhythm, the song develops with the sound of horns and sampled drums as lead singer Joe Newman sings in a beautiful mellow tone. The song is supplemented by a vocal sample from Miley Cyrus's song "4x4," as she sings "I'm a female rebel." At nearly 5 minutes, the song is closer in style to trance or trip-hop than conventional pop or rock. Layers of droning sounds set a moody backdrop that shifts and moves around without ever changing too dramatically.

In conjunction with the song release, the band has also announced that they will be releasing their 2nd album, This Is All Yours, on September 22nd on Canvasback / Infectious Music.

On the subject of Gwil Sainsbury, the bassist and guitarist who left the band last year, alt-J keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton told NPR Music:

...having to write songs as a trio rather than a foursome was a daunting prospect for us at first, but coming up with this song reassured us that — for want of a better phrase — we were going to be OK... composed entirely of new and spontaneous ideas that arose during writing sessions for the second album. It was written very quickly using some guitar chords and sounds being layered on Ableton, and seemed to signal a bit of a new sound for us. The lyrics mainly suggest the idea that missing someone — pining — can be a physical pain much like hunger.

Alt-J "Hunger of the Pine" Lyrics:

Sleeplessly embracing
Butterflies and needles
Line my seamed-up join

Encased in case I need it
In my stomach, for my heart
Chain mail

Hunger of the pine
Hunger of the pine

Sleeplessly embracing
Yawn yearns into me
Plenty more tears in the sea

And so you finally use it
Bedding with me you see at night
Your heart wears knight armour

Hunger of the pine

"I'm a female rebel"
"I'm a female rebel"
"I'm a female rebel"
"Female rebel"

Sleeplessly
Embracing
You

Realisation grew on me
As quickly as it takes your hand
To warm the cool side of the pillow

I'm there for you, be there for me
I'll hum the song the soldiers sing
As they march outside our window

Hunger of the pine

Sleeplessly
Embracing
Sleeplessly
Embracing
You
"I'm a female rebel"
Sleeplessly
Embracing
"I'm a female rebel"
Sleeplessly
Embracing
You
"I'm a female rebel"

Une immense espérance a traversée la terre
Une immense espérance a traversée la terre
Une immense espérance a traversée ma peur
Une immense espérance a traversée ma peur