Beabadoobee has released “Memories,” described as one of the happiest tracks on her upcoming fourth studio album, Pylon. Set for a September 18 release via Dirty Hit and Interscope, the follow-up to 2024’s This Is How Tomorrow Moves captures a distinct blend of euphoric acoustic melodies and melancholic nostalgia.
The Bottom Line
- The Release: “Memories” arrived ahead of Beabadoobee’s fourth studio album, Pylon, slated for September 18 via Dirty Hit and Interscope.
- The Sound: Built around a bright acoustic guitar, the track balances joyful sonic elements with a bittersweet yearning for past moments.
- The Road Ahead: Following live debuts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the ‘Powerlines’ tour kicks off in October across North America before heading to the UK.
Decoding the Melancholy Behind ‘Memories’
Beabadoobee has previously noted that her earlier anger was necessary for self-discovery. Yet, on Pylon, she explores a different shade of emotional terrain. According to the artist, “Memories” stands as one of the record’s happiest offerings, though it remains tethered to a distinct type of wistfulness.
The songwriting dwells on clinging to ideas that should theoretically spark joy, yet occasionally trigger sorrow because they represent fleeting moments. Driven by a euphoric acoustic guitar arrangement, the track highlights small, sensory details. Lyrics like “The smell of rain on the pavement / It’s 3 am and I thought of you / You’re the best, you’re my favourite / I see you in all shades of blue” anchor the song in deeply intimate, late-night observations.
Collaborative Scale and the Road to Pylon
Fans got their first taste of the new material live earlier this month when Beabadoobee debuted “Memories,” the title track “Pylon,” and previous singles “Sun Has Set” and “Switchblade” during a performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
| Album Details | Key Collaborators & Producers | Release & Touring Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Pylon (4th studio album) | Hayley Williams, Brendan Yates (Turnstile), Chino Moreno (Deftones), Evan Stephens Hall (Pinegrove), Shane Morgan (Title Fight), Matty Healy, and George Daniel. | Album out September 18 via Dirty Hit/Interscope; ‘Powerlines’ tour launches October 1 in Uncasville, CT. |
The album features Hayley Williams on “Nothing To Prove” and Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates on “Powerlines.” Additional artistic contributions come from Pinegrove’s Evan Stephens Hall, Deftones’ Chino Moreno, and Title Fight’s Shane Morgan. Meanwhile, The 1975’s Matty Healy and George Daniel handled production duties on the track “Write Me A Letter.”
Touring Plans and Recent Artistic Turns
The ‘Powerlines’ tour is set to launch in Uncasville, Connecticut, on October 1. After wrapping up North American dates, the tour crosses the Atlantic in November for major UK stops in Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, and London.
This cycle follows 2024’s This Is How Tomorrow Moves, which earned a four-star review from NME as a poignant collection showcasing tangled modern feelings. Proving her versatility across different mediums earlier this year, Beabadoobee also teamed up with The Marías for the one-off single “All I Did Was Dream Of You”—complete with a video inspired by Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia—and covered Elliott Smith’s “Say Yes” for the War Child compilation Help(2).
As the countdown to September 18 continues, “Memories” proves that stepping into lighter emotional territory doesn’t require sacrificing lyrical depth. Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
