Tortoise — the iconic ensemble that “reset the stage for what might fit within indie rock” (MOJO) — share “Works and Days,” a patiently unfolding lattice-work of percussive shuffles, beguiling guitar figures, and iridescent synthesizer melodies. The song is the latest preview from Touch (International Anthem and  Nonesuch Records), the first new album from the groundbreaking group since 2016 on LP, CD, and digital download on October 24, 2025, and on streaming services on November 11. The new single also arrives with a perspective-shifting, slightly askew slice-of-life video directed by Alee Peoples.

The band also announces a very special global event on Saturday October 18th, when more than 150 independent record stores around the world will host advance listening parties for Touch in their spaces, and also make the album available for in-person attendees to purchase (a full week before the album’s release). Full details and participating locations are compiled on International Anthem’s website here.

With Touch, the Tortoise band members — Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire, and Jeff Parker — harness their collectivist songwriting approach, a slightly anarchistic but resolutely egalitarian process where ideas triumph over ego towards an abstracted muscularity. While there are still excursions into the dusky, elegantly gnarled jazz ambience that flourished on landmark works like Millions Now Living Will Never Die and TNT, Touch is perhaps most remarkable for Tortoise’s unapologetic embrace of grand gesture. Aerodynamically re-engineered Krautrock, hand-cranked techno rave-ups, and pointillist desert guitar panoramas are all imbued with Tortoise’s now-signature internal logic — equally alluring and confounding, a puzzle to be savored rather than solved.

Tortoise will then embark on European tours in early 2026, with more dates to be announced soon. The full list of confirmed dates and ticket links is below:

TOUR DATES
Los Angeles CA – Saturday October 18th – The Broad – tickets
Austin TX – Thursday October 23rd – Radio/East – tickets
Marfa TX – Saturday October 25th – Flying Island – tickets
Chicago IL – Tuesday November 11th – The Auditorium w/ Chicago Philharmonic – tickets
Lexington KY – Wednesday November 12th – Singleton Center for the Arts – tickets
New York NY – Friday November 14th – Bowery Ballroom – SOLD OUT
New York NY – Saturday November 15th – Bowery Ballroom – SOLD OUT
New York NY – Sunday November 16th – Bowery Ballroom – tickets
London UK – Saturday November 22nd – Barbican – 1st show SOLD OUT, matinee show added
Bristol UK – Sunday November 23rd – The Prospect Building – tickets
Leeds UK – Monday November 24th – The Irish Centre – tickets

Helsinki FI – Tuesday January 20th – Tavastia – tickets
Stockholm SE – Wednesday January 21st – Fasching – tickets
Karlsruhe DE – Thursday January 22nd – Tollhaus – tickets
Lille FR – Friday January 23rd – Aeronef – tickets
Brussels BE – Saturday January 24th – Brussels Jazz Festival – tickets
Perugia IT – Sunday January 25th – Teatro del Pavone – tickets
Frankfurt DE – Monday January 26th – Zoom – tickets
Köln DE – Tuesday January 27th – Kantine – tickets
Paris FR – Wednesday January 28th – Le Trabendo – tickets
Berlin DE – Thursday January 29th – Großer Sendesaal des RBB – tickets
Dresden DE – Friday January 30th – Beatpol – tickets

Hamburg DE – Thursday April 9th – Kampnagel – tickets
Den Haag NL – Friday April 10th – Rewire Festival – tickets
Brugge BE – Saturday April 11th – Cactus Club – tickets
München DE – Sunday April 12th – Technikum – tickets
Salzburg AT – Monday April 13th – jazz:it – tickets
Graz AT – Tuesday April 14th – Orpheum – tickets
St. Gallen CH – Wednesday April 15th – Palace – tickets
Fribourg CH – Thursday April 16th – Fri-Son – tickets
Braga PT – Sunday April 19th – Theatro Circo
Lisboa PT – Monday April 20th – Culturgest