Echo & the Bunnymen Return with *Apples for Isaac* After a 12-Year Hiatus

Echo & the Bunnymen will issue their first collection of newly-written material since 2014’s *Meteorites* on September 18, 2026. Titled *Apples for Isaac*, the record is available on CD, standard black vinyl, a picture-disc vinyl, and a limited “splatter green” vinyl for independent retailers. Signed bundles and test-pressings can be purchased through the band’s official shop. The animated video for the lead single “Brussels Is Haunted” has been released alongside the announcement.

Apples for Isaac – SuperDeluxeEditionPitchfork

Co-founder and lead vocalist Ian McCulloch explained that the decade-plus gap was partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and partly a personal quest for lyrical cohesion. He said the album ultimately reflects the sound he imagined while writing, emphasizing a desire to “sing it how you want to hear it.”

Pitchfork

The band’s announcement highlighted the contribution of Clem Burke, the longtime Blondie drummer who performed on all but one track. Burke’s involvement is described as “integral” to the album’s creation, and the statement notes his death occurred during the recording sessions.

Apples for Isaac – SuperDeluxeEdition

• “The mighty, legendary Clem Burke—longtime friend of Mac—was integral to the making of the album and heartbreakingly passed away during its completion… love you Clem X,” — *Echo & the Bunnymen*, statement

Pitchfork

• “What kept us? I think Covid had something to do with it,” — *Ian McCulloch*, lead singer, Echo & the Bunnymen

Pitchfork

• “But also I just wanted, lyrically, for everything to make sense—or to be cryptically important. Which is a hell of a sentence.” — *Ian McCulloch*

Pitchfork

• “more than any other record I can remember, it’s actually sounding how I heard it in my head. I’ve just gone, sing it how you want to hear it.” — *Ian McCulloch*

Pitchfork