Penelope Isles—the rock project of English siblings, co-vocalists and -songwriters Lily and Jack Wolter—have announced their second album, Which Way to Happy. Produced by Jack Wolter and mixed by Dave Fridmann, the LP is due out Nov. 5 on Bella Union, and preceded today (Aug. 17) by new single “Iced Gems,” out now alongside a music video.
The second single from the album after July’s “Sailing Still,” which Paste praised as one of last month’s best songs, “Iced Gems” continues the band’s expansion on the relatively straightforward psych-pop sound they established on their self-produced 2018 debut, Until The Tide Creeps In. Where “Sailing Still” was sweeping and intense, “Iced Gems” is pretty and patient, foregrounding Lily Wolter’s porcelain vocals over rolling synths and a forceful drum machine. Acoustic guitar sidles into the mix along the way, grounding the cool-toned electronic track in something warmer and more organic.
Penelope Isles have 20 U.K. shows set for the fall, including a set at the End Of The Road festival on Sept. 2, and a series of in-store performances around their album release date, including a Nov. 5 show at Brighton’s Resident Records. Holiday Ghosts and Laundromat will provide support for about a dozen of the band’s November and December dates.
Watch the “Iced Gems” video below, and find the details of Which Way to Happy and Penelope Isles’ U.K. tour dates further down. You can preorder their record right here.
Which Way to Happy Tracklist:
01. Terrified
02. Rocking At The Bottom
03. Play It Cool
04. Iced Gems
05. Sailing Still
06. Miss Moon
07. Sudoku
08. Have You Heard
09. Pink Lemonade
10. 11 11
11. In A Cage
Which Way to Happy Album Art:
Penelope Isles U.K. Tour Dates:
September
02 – Larmer Tree Gardens @ End Of The Road
November
05 – Brighton @ Resident Records (instore)
06 – London @ Rough Trade East (instore)
08 – Totnes @ Drift Records (instore)
23 – Tunbridge Wells @ Tunbridge Wells Forum *
24 – Bristol @ Exchange *
25 – Cambridge @ Portland Arms *
26 – Manchester @ Gullivers *
27 – Chester @ St. Marys *
28 – Northampton @ The Black Prince
30 – Guildford @ The Boileroom *
December
01 – London @ Oslo ^
02 – St. Albans @ The Horn
03 – Ipswich @ The Smokehouse ^
04 – York @ Fulford Arms ^
05 – Blackpool @ Central Library ^
07 – Glasgow @ Hug & Pint ^
08 – Newcastle @ Cluny 2 ^
09 – Birmingham @ Hare & Hounds ^
10 – Brighton @ Concorde 2
(* Holiday Ghosts supporting)
(^ Laundromat supporting)
