Wolf Alice sign with RCA and unveil The Clearing, a bold leap forward that still keeps their origins close to heart. After parting ways with Dirty Hit, the band have teamed up with a major label to push a bigger, brighter sound produced by Greg Kurstin. The result is a crisp, emotionally charged pop experience that feels like a natural progression from the band’s past while expanding their reach.
The opening run and big pivot
The introductory track Thorns serves as a careful doorway into this new era, easing listeners into a more expansive sound before giving way to something grander. Lead single Bloom Baby Bloom lands with a titan’s presence, showcasing a new range of skills and a stadium-ready sensibility that cab be described as an epic arena-level moment for 2025. Leaning Against The Wall introduces sharper bite, while the succinct Passenger Seat provides a compact dose of vintage pop craftsmanship in under two minutes.
A rooted yet outward-facing sound
Although the record is anchored in indie rock, The Clearing leans on late 70s pop playbooks, with clear echoes of The Cars, ABBA, Blondie, and Stevie Nicks. The visuals amplify the ambition, yet the music remains unmistakably Wolf Alice—a band expanding its horizons without losing the core identity that propelled their initial success. The album’s structure reinforces this balance: two sides of vinyl and 11 tracks, with the second half building to a climactic arc that mirrors a mini song cycle.
A studio-expansive approach that still feels intimate
Tracks like Bread Butter Tea Sugar, Safe In The World, and Midnight Song are lush, polished moments where Kurstin teases out new textures from the band. Across the record there’s a sense of the group dialing up their ambitions while staying tethered to the Seven Sisters roots that shaped their early days—home isn’t forgotten even as they travel farther on the map. The closing track, The Sofa, grounds the journey in realism, reaffirming that the core four from Shoreditch’s Old Blue Last residency are still the same artists at their core, just operating on a larger stage.
A verdict, with a hopeful view
The Clearing is an ambitious, broadly pop-forward album that remains deeply Wolf Alice. The pairing with RCA signals a major push, and the collaboration with Kurstin yields a record that feels both expansive and personal. The album earns an 8/10 from critics, a strong vote of confidence in Wolf Alice’s ability to grow while staying true to the traits that first drew fans to them.
Additional value and context
– The shift from Dirty Hit to RCA marks not just a label change but a strategic investment in international reach, festival play, and larger-scale production and marketing support.
– The album’s structure—grand first half giving way to a rising second act—invites a listening approach that rewards careful attention across spins.
– The Seven Sisters reference provides a grounding narrative that can help the band connect with long-time fans while welcoming new listeners who crave anthemic, melodic rock with pop polish.
Summary
Wolf Alice’s The Clearing presents a confident step into a bigger arena while preserving the essence of what made them a distinctive force. With Greg Kurstin’s production, a cohesive two-sided vinyl concept, and a set of songs that blend 70s pop sensibilities with contemporary clarity, the band signals not just growth but a readiness to take their expansive sound to global stages.
If you’re looking for a hopeful takeaway, The Clearing suggests Wolf Alice are not only ready for broader horizons but also committed to carrying their roots forward—an encouraging sign for fans and newcomers alike as they chart a new chapter in their career.