Duran Duran is back with a brand new single, “Invisible” to jumpstart the buildup to their next album, Future Past, which will be out on Oct. 22. But not only is “Invisible” the first single for a new album but it’s also accompanied by a groundbreaking music video that sees the band collaborate with an AI “artist” known as Huxley. For a more traditional visual, Duran Duran will also perform the track for the first time this Sunday (May 23) at the Billboard Music Awards.
“Sonic architecture has always been incredibly important to Duran Duran. I think, with ‘Invisible,’ we really have managed to carve the sculpture the way we wanted it,” keyboardist Nick Rhodes said in a statement. “Sonically, it’s a very unusual piece of music. I think when you merge all the instruments together, it creates an overall sound that perhaps you haven’t heard before.”
“When we first went into the studio in late 2018, I was trying to persuade the guys that all we needed to do was write two or three tracks for an EP,” vocalist Simon Le Bon added. “Four days later, with the nucleus of 25-plus strong songs in the can that all deserved development, I realized we’d be in it for the long haul, but that was before COVID. So here we are in 2021 with our 15th studio album, Future Past, straining at the leash. Music by Duran Duran with [features and production by] Graham Coxon, Lykke Li, Mike Garson, Erol Alkan, Mark Ronson, Giorgio Moroder (for God’s sake!). I’m not saying it’s epic, but well … yes I am. We open with the song ‘Invisible,’ which began as a story about a one-sided relationship but grew into something much bigger, because ‘a voiceless crowd isn’t backing down.’ John and Roger’s rhythm track is mountainous; Nick’s melodies twist and soar; Graham’s guitar is a knife. It feels exactly right for right now.”
Check out the new track and video below.