Dirty Nice have unveiled their latest single, ‘What I Wanna Hear’, offering a glimpse into their upcoming album Planet Weekend, set for release on 23rd May.
The track leans into the duo’s signature blend of glitchy pop and psych-tinged indie, packed with off-kilter hooks and woozy, surreal charm. A continuation of their self-styled cartoon-pop aesthetic, ‘What I Wanna Hear’ feels like a late-night transmission from a world where MGMT’s day-glo excess meets the playful absurdity of Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.
Planet Weekend promises to be their most fully realised project yet, weaving together themes of escapism, digital disorientation, and existential longing. The album’s concept is built around a theme park of the same name, with each track serving as an ‘attraction’ within its sprawling, synthetic world.
“Why not take a dip at the Planet Weekend ‘Wave Pool Lagoon & Log Flume’ and jump right into the weekend!?” Dirty Nice tease. “Or get wasted on the ‘Love Boat Bar & Grill’ and let that lucky someone know you love them. Go on, tell them what they want to hear already!”
The album’s first single, ‘Another Life’, has already picked up strong support, with plays on BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music from Sian Eleri, Alyx Holcombe, Tara Kumah, Chris Hawkins, and Nathan Shepherd. Now, ‘What I Wanna Hear’ builds on that momentum, setting the tone for an album that promises to be both dazzlingly weird and disarmingly heartfelt.
Alongside the new release, Dirty Nice have been announced for BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Liverpool on 25th May. They’ll also take Planet Weekend on the road this October, with headline dates in Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Brighton, Southampton, London, and Bristol.
Their rise has been fuelled as much by their distinctive visual world as by their music. Charlie Pelling, known for his work on Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, and Lisbon-based musician Mark Thompson have built a cult following through their self-made animations and eccentric online presence. Florence Pugh is among their growing fanbase, while collaborations with Wet Leg, Desta French, and Bad Sounds have expanded their sonic palette.
With Planet Weekend on the horizon, Dirty Nice are taking their idiosyncratic, hallucinogenic vision to its next logical step: total immersion.
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- BBC Radio 1
- Big Weekend
- Chiverin
- Dirty Nice
- Glitch Pop
- Indie Pop
- New music
- Planet Weekend
- What I Wanna Hear
