U2 announces new album and releases first single “Silencio”

U2 announced their 16th studio album, which they gave a Portuguese title: “Carnaval de Luz,” which means “Light Carnival.” The first single, “Silencio,” is already available and means “Silence” in Portuguese. Although it should actually be written “Silêncio,” with an accent, Bono confirmed that it is Portuguese, not Spanish.

It is their first album of original music since “Songs of Experience” (2017) and will be released next November 13. Bono, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge and Adam Clayton has some special guests in the album. Some of them are Brian Eno, Martin Garrix, Rya Tedder and duet with the late Dolly Parton.

Bono talked about the new album, saying: “Roll up, roll up, roll up! Bring your purple socks, your broken hearts, your rose-tinted naivety… oh be amazed in the hall of mirrors. There will be loud guitars, deep bass, some ecstatic rhythms and, yes, some silver tears will make an appearance!”

“‘Cause in the near distance just outside our carnival of light there are all kinds of creatures… the same imagination that brings us our creativity can also bring us monsters. So we make the drums louder. We build a bigger fire. We make our stories wilder and funnier. We make the melodies sweeter and the songs, they better shine, because if the world is in darkness we better not be.”

The Edge also shared his opinion on the new record, saying: “It’s a messy, provocative, sacred collection of songs — and features the first-ever use of flat-wound strings on a U2 recording. Just saying.”

Hear the new U2 song “Silencio”

“Carnaval De Luz” tracklist:

1. Go (Carnaval De Luz)
2. La Reina
3. Street Of Dreams
4. The Mirror Maker (Rosalía)
5. Superficiality
6. If The World Is At War We Better Not Be
7. Silencio
8. The Greatest Show On Earth
9. Glorify
10. Midnight Sunshine
11. Can’t Stop Us Now
12. Torn (Feat. Dolly Parton)