Sufjan Stevens Announces New Album ‘The Ascension’
By Andy Kahn Jun 30, 2020 • 7:08 am PDT

Sufjan Stevens will release a new album entitled The Ascension on September 25 through Asthmatic Kitty Records. The album’s lead single, the 12-minute closing track “America,” is set for release this Friday, July 3.
Stevens’ last album was 2015’s Carrie & Lowell. A collaborative album, Planetarium, featuring Stevens, James McAlister, Nico Muhly and The National’s Bryce Dessner, was released in 2017. The 2019 soundtrack album to Justin Peck’s ballet, The Decalogue, was a collaboration between Stevens and classical composer Timo Andres.
Advertisement
Stevens teamed with his stepfather Lowell Brams (the “Lowell” in Carrie & Lowell) on the album Aporia, which was released by Asthmatic Kitty in March. Stevens and Brams co-ran Asthmatic Kitty together, prior to the latter’s retirement after the release of Aporia.
The 15-track The Ascension was written, recorded and produced by Stevens. Additional contributions came from McAlister, Casey Foubert and Emil Nikolaisen. A 12-inch single edition of “America” will be released on July 31 featuring the 10-minute, non-album B-side “My Rajneesh.”
Advertisement
The Ascension Tracklist
- Make Me An Offer I Cannot Refuse
- Run Away With Me
- Video Game
- Lamentations
- Tell Me You Love Me
- Die Happy
- Ativan
- Ursa Major
- Landslide
- Gilgamesh
- Death Star
- Goodbye To All That
- Sugar
- The Ascension
- America