Mourning [A] BLKstar unveils their final single/video, “Letter to a Nervous System,” ahead of the release of their new album Flowers for the Living (Don Giovanni), out this Friday, May 16, 2025. Following previous singles “Stop Lion II” (feat. Lee Bains) and “Let ’Em Eat” (feat. Fatboi Sharif), “Letter to a Nervous System” stands as one of the project’s most heartfelt. “It reminds me of how Ashford and Simpson would deliver such believable, love-filled songs—you felt and believed every word,” recounts vocalist James Longs. Sung alongside LaToya Kent, the song radiates a shared bond between the two artists—a loving energy that runs through the entire collective, forged over a decade of deep-rooted community and collaboration.

As conduits of the mid-1960s Black ecstatic tradition, M[A]B’s self-described “spirit work” is rooted in openness, free improvisation, utterance, and possession, and this record embodies the genetic memories of their ancestors and boundless collaboration, free of judgment, genre constructs, or centralized decision making. While songs from previous albums were typically sculpted during live concerts and later recorded, the majority of tracks that appear on Flowers were mapped out during the recording process. This brought forth a new free-flowing, full-band approach to songwriting—one where everyone worked together from scratch, rather than instrumentalists adding parts to songs that had already been largely formed. 

Many roads led them here—both literally and figuratively. Over the past few years, M[A]B toured the U.S., Europe, and Australia with revered experimentalist Lonnie Holley, serving as his backing band and engaging in live improvisation, which became a significant source of inspiration. They liken that period to being in a classroom, with Holley pushing them forward in ways they didn’t think possible, and they returned with a rich spiritual momentum that informed Flowers for the Living.

The title, Flowers for the Living, is a reference to grief and the kind of love that’s taken for granted. It’s a biting sentiment that illuminates the pervasive moral decay of the Western world. For M[A]B, they’ve watched friends and fellow musicians only receive due praise after they passed away, which prompted Washington to more regularly express fondness for people while in their presence. 

This record may radiate with cosmic joy, but Mourning [A] BLKstar also has unfinished business. Despite their longevity, they have an inkling that not everyone who’s destined to hear their music has encountered it yet, and Flowers for the Living’s refined, immersive, and unpredictable tracklist makes a strong case for their all-encompassing spirit work. They’ve established themselves as astute chroniclers of America’s systemic injustices, inherent contradictions, and resilience, and their reverence for radical Black and queer modes of expression only enhances the richness of their art. Lucky for us, M[A]B thrives on frenetic energy, and they continue to add to their treasure trove. And lucky for them, they’ve got nothing but limitless space ahead.

In celebration of their tenth anniversary and in support of their new album, Mourning [A] BLKstar will embark on a U.S. and European tour. See the full tour routing below, and stay tuned for the release of Flowers for the Living this Friday, May 16, 2025.

Tour Dates

May 30 – Richmond, VA @ Get Tight Lounge
May 31 – Washington D.C. @ Kennedy Center
June 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Rotunda
June 2 – Brooklyn, NY @ TV Eye
June 4 – Holyoke, MA @ De La Luz Soundstage
June 5 – Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s
June 6 – State College PA @ Rhoneymeade Fest
July 9 – Stuttgart, Germany @ Jazzopen
July 12 – Aachen, Germany @ Musikbunker
July 13 – Rotterdam, Netherlands @ North Sea Jazz
July 15 – Olden, Germany @ Kultursommer
July 16 – Hamburg, Germany @ Nica Jazzclub
July 18 – Warsaw, Poland @ Jassmine
July 19 – Ostrava, Czechoslovakia @ Colours of Ostrava
July 23 – Konstanz, Germany @ Kulturladen
July 25 – Berlin, Germany @ Durchlüften Open Air