Sylvan Esso Returns with a Bang After Three Years – But They're Dropping Spotify Too!
After a three-year hiatus from releasing new music, Sylvan Esso is back with their highly anticipated single, "WDID." This marks a significant milestone for the duo as it’s the first track released under their very own label, Psychic Hotline. You can listen to it right now and experience the evolution of their sound.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Sylvan Esso has also announced they are pulling all their music from Spotify.
"As we prepare to release new music, we have to decide what we want to be a part of and what we don’t," Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn shared in a press statement. "With Sylvan Esso now on our own label for the first time, we’ve made the choice to remove our music from Spotify. While no solution is perfect, we simply cannot continue to place our life’s work on a platform that, in addition to many other flaws, directly funds war machines."
This bold move places Sylvan Esso among a growing list of artists who have left Spotify for ethical reasons, including King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Xiu Xiu, and Deerhoof, all responding to Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in AI weapons company Helsing.
"WDID" was crafted in Sylvan Esso’s personal studio in Chapel Hill, NC, called Betty’s, with additional production from Jake Luppen. The track is paired with striking visuals created by artists Aaron Anderson and Eric Timothy Carlson. Musically, it’s intense and energetic, flirting with industrial tones, while Meath delivers hauntingly provocative lyrics like, "What do I do when I run out of money?" and "the algorithm only wants my body," which touch on both existential and digital-age anxieties.
Fans can also look forward to a physical release of "WDID" on a 12-inch single coming January 9th. It will feature a complementary b-side, "KEEP ON," described as "loose and hypnotic," which emerged from a week-long improvisation with bassist Daniel Aged and drummer TJ Maiani. Pre-orders are currently open.
Earlier this year, Sylvan Esso collaborated with Maggie Rogers to cover "Anthems For a Seventeen Year-Old Girl" for the Broken Social Scene tribute album, "Anthems: A Celebration Of Broken Social Scene’s You Forgot It In People," further showcasing their versatility and collaborative spirit.
With this release, Sylvan Esso isn’t just making music—they’re making a statement. Are you on board with their decision to leave Spotify, or do you think streaming platforms are still a necessary part of an artist’s reach? Share your thoughts in the comments—you might just spark a debate!
