Mike D is already making his mark, fifteen years on from the last Beastie Boys album. If you haven’t already heard the new stuff it’s a blast of funky hip hop punk, distorted vocals and a fun stamp on new music that keeps his sound alive. We can’t wait for this on. Read on…
The August 28th release of ‘Thank You’, the debut album from Mike D, will mark the first full length offering of new music from a Beastie Boys alumnus since 2011’s ‘Hot Sauce Committee Part 2’. New track ‘True Colors’, taken from the forthcoming album, is out now. The visualizer for the darkly melodic ‘True Colors’ can be seen here:
Forthcoming album ‘Thank You’ is a dozen servings of sonically inventive post-electronic grooves and hypnotic hooks that find Mike D’s unmistakable voice leading the listener through an aural playground that defies categorisation.
The album announcement and release of new track True Colors follows recent singles What We Got and Switch Up – which was ‘A’ playlisted at BBC Radio 6 Musicand, according toThe Guardian,“soars over its killer bassline”.
Last week saw the debut UK shows for Mike 5D, which began at a Kings Street Social Club in North Shields near Newcastle. The performance was lauded byThe Guardianas“uproarious fun”andNMEsaid “it bounces with all the punk energy that made Beastie Boys such a vital crossover act”.
Mike D 5D then performed back-to-back shows on Friday and Saturday at London’s 26 Leake Street, another unusual venue choice, carved from the city’s famous graffiti tunnel at the iconic South Bank. The performances were dubbed“playful and pioneering”byThe Times, and “a bouncing, joyous show…gonzo brilliance”byThe Standard. The star-studded audience saw the likes of David Beckham, Noel Gallagher, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, Jake Bugg, Richard Russell in attendance – testament to the enduring cultural influence Mike D has.
Current announced Mike D 5D shows are as follows:
June 10 — Saalchen — Berlin, Germany (SOLD OUT)
June 13 — Primavera Sound Festival — Porto, Portugal
June 14 — Beyond The Pale Festival — Wicklow, Ireland
June 16 — La 2 de Apolo Nitsa — Barcelona, Spain
June 18 — Blender at Bolwerk — Kortrijk, Belgium (SOLD OUT)
June 19 — De Casino — Sint-Niklaas, Belgium (SOLD OUT)
June 20 — Beyond The Streets — Paris, France
September 26 — Portola Music Festival 2026 — San Francisco, USA
Press shot – 5D group photo – credit Sam Finelli.
‘Thank You’ traces its origins back to a series of zero-pressure, experimental recording sessions at Mike’s home studio. The sessions began with Mike’s sons Skyler and Davis as the first of a cast of collaborators that would expand to include Carter Lang, Jared Solomon, Ging, Jason Lader, Eddie Ruscha, Tyran Donaldson and more joining in across a variety of locations. The album’s fluid, intuitive nature is reflected in its eclectic artwork by visual collaborators Can Can Press, Thad Higa and Charles Deroyan.
“It’s been so much fun making this music with people I love and I have grown to really appreciate in our collaboration,” Mike D commented.“And I just hope it’s fun for others and not overly serious, because let’s be real, I’m releasing this music into a very strange and dark and power-fixated world that really devalues art and feelings and compassion and empathy and equality.”
The album was mixed by Derek “MixedByAli” Ali, mastered by Nicolas de Porcel, and consists of the following songs:
1. Switch Up
2. What We Got
3. True Colors
4. That’s Right
5. Secrets Pt. I
6. Secrets Pt. II
7. I Don’t Care
8. Make It Stop
9. Crypto
10. Here We Are
11. Back To Start
12. It’s Time
13. Thank You
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief