Pigeon have never been a band to colour inside the lines. The Margate‑rooted psychedelic five‑piece, a collision of cosmic groove, West African vocal tradition and free‑flowing improvisation, release their long‑awaited debut album OUTTANATIONAL today via Memphis Industries, alongside a brand‑new single, the punk‑funk‑charged “Future Country”.

Already hailed as “the most exciting band in years” by The Times and celebrated by Rolling Stone UK for turning sprawling jams into “technicolour brilliance”, Pigeon arrive with a record that feels both celebratory and searching. OUTTANATIONAL is a widescreen, rhythm‑driven exploration of belonging, identity and the ecstatic power of the groove, recorded between Margate’s Albion Rooms and Ramsgate’s Big Jelly Studios.

The band — Falle Nioke (vocals, percussion), Graham Godfrey (drums), Josh Ludow (bass), Steve Pringle (keys, synths) and Tom Dream (guitar), draw from afro‑disco, krautrock, punk‑funk and post‑punk, building party music with a spiritual core. Think William Onyeabor beamed into deep space, or early Hot Chip jamming motorik afrobeat in a 70s loft.

Nioke’s extraordinary voice sits at the heart of it all. Rooted in the West African griot tradition and sung instinctively in a shifting blend of English, French, Susu, Fulani, Malinke and Coniagui, his vocals give OUTTANATIONAL its emotional gravity. Written during his naturalisation process after relocating from Guinea‑Conakry in 2018, the album wrestles with questions of home and identity while never losing its sense of joy. “One side is Africa. The other side is here,” he says, a duality that pulses through every track.

Today’s new single, “Future Country”, is a jerky, percussion‑heavy burst of punk‑funk that imagines the immigration process centuries from now. “Will they want me in the future country? / Will they need me in the future city?” the band chant, turning existential uncertainty into something danceable, defiant and strangely hopeful.

It follows recent singles “Black James Dean” and breakout track “Miami”, the latter premiered by Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 Music and championed across Radio X, BBC Radio 2 and KCRW, where it became the station’s #2 most‑played song. Rolling Stone UK praised the follow‑up “Mirror Test” as “a danceable, propulsive four‑minute pop song”, cementing Pigeon as one of the UK’s most intriguing new live acts.

Pigeon’s reputation as a live force continues to grow. Earlier this year they packed out London’s George Tavern for a free show that earned a 5‑star review from The Times, who declared the band “are going to be huge”. They’ve since supported Altın Gün at two London dates, including a sold‑out KOKO, and now head into a run of headline shows and festival appearances.

Upcoming dates include Margate, Rough Trade East, The Great Escape, Wilderness and End Of The Road, with a Brighton album‑launch show and signing at Resident on 3 May already sold out.

2026

01 May – Where Else?, Margate (SOLD OUT)

03 May – Resident, Brighton (SOLD OUT)

07 May – Rough Trade East, London (SOLD OUT)

14 May – The Great Escape, Brighton

02 Sep – Wilderness Festival, Oxfordshire

03–06 Sep – End Of The Road Festival, Dorset

02 Dec – The Dome, London

03 Dec – Strange Brew, Bristol (Venue Upgrade)

2027

08–11 Jan – Rockaway Beach Festival, Bognor Regis