Vampire Weekend Reveals Release Date for Third Studio Album

Vampire Weekend’s upcoming release, a follow-up to 2010’s Contra, has been one of the more anticipated albums of the past year. While, starting earlier in 2012, the band revealed they were slowly songwriting and recording, frontman Ezra Koenig mentioned, in the first week of January, about a 2013 release, although the date was not specified. As of today, the group, through their own website, listed the release date and other relevant information.

In updating their website to announce recording had been completed, Vampire Weekend stated the record is scheduled for a May 6, 2013 release on XL Recordings. Producing are Ariel Rechtshaid, who previously worked with Usher and Major Lazer, and band member Rostam Batmanglij. Material was recorded in both New York and Los Angeles.

Previously, Koenig described the sound, calling it more “dark” and “organic.” The still-untitled album, as well, is the third part in a series, with Koenig explaining: "We created some characters on the first record, some of which are real people, some of which are ourselves, so it's not hard to keep following them and see what their concerns are now and how their lives have changed."
 

The three-year gap between releases was additionally touched on previously. While bassist Chris Baio, in an earlier interview, described their process as slower, Koenig stated Vampire Weekend didn’t want to tour for a partially-finished product.