Following an eight-year break since his last full-length album.
Photo credit: Michael Mayer – Facebook
Michael Mayer is set to release his fourth studio album, ‘The Floor Is Lava,’ on November 1st, 2024 via Kompakt Records. This announcement comes as a welcome surprise to fans, given the eight-year gap since his last full-length release, the collaborative effort. As a preview of the full album, Mayer has already shared two singles ‘Sycophant (Radio Edit)’ and Ardor (Radio Edit).
‘The Floor Is Lava’ serves as a metaphor for the current state of the music industry, with Mayer explaining, “Being a free-minded spirit that transcends genres has become an uphill battle.” Despite this challenge, he has crafted an album described as varied, idiosyncratic, and deeply engaging.
The tracklist showcases Mayer’s diverse influences and production styles. ‘The Problem’ opens with a sample-heavy homage to early house, followed by ‘Vagus,’ a minimal house track Mayer calls “musical catnip.” The album explores psychedelic techno (‘Feuerstuhl’), ’90s-inspired minimal techno (‘Ardor’), and breakbeat (‘Sycophant’). ‘The Solution’ adds a pop-leaning, vocally rich dimension.
The closing track, ‘Süßer Schlaf,’ pays tribute to a lost friend with a Goethe poem set to haunting music. ‘Brainwave 2.0’ updates a 2020 EP track, addressing current socio-political issues and showcasing Mayer’s broader engagement.
Mayer himself sums up the album’s eclectic nature: “It’s a DJ album by a DJ that’s easily bored.”
Listen to ‘Sycophant (Radio Edit)’ and Ardor (Radio Edit) below and grab your copy here.
Pre-order ‘The Floor Is Lava’ here.
