Yorkshire-based singer-songwriter Chris Brain has announced his fourth studio album, Red Sun Rising, set for release on May 1st, 2026, via Big Sun Records. Along with the announcement, Brain has shared the title track and an accompanying live performance video, offering a first glimpse into a record rooted in the British pastoral tradition.
Built on intimate acoustic textures, the album navigates themes of yearning and restlessness. Brain’s songwriting, often compared to the likes of Nick Drake for its “understated grace,” continues to evolve from the “wide-eyed wonder” of his previous work. KLOF Mag‘s Glenn Kimpton hailed his 2025 release, New Light, as his “best work so far,” noting its lightness of touch and the freshness it radiated. Red Sun Rising appears to carry that momentum forward, leaning into the repetitive rituals of nature to find common ground in the human experience.
“The rising sun symbolizes new life and fresh beginnings,” Brain explains. “At its core, it’s about hope and the feeling that something is waiting just around the corner. The red sun will always rise in the east and set in the west—a reminder that we all want the same things from life.”
A familiar voice on BBC Radio 6 Music and the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show, Brain has built a reputation for meticulous, fingerpicked arrangements that balance technical prowess with melodic warmth. This new collection explores landscapes both literal and emotional, moving with the fluidity of shifting seasons.
To celebrate the release, Brain will embark on an extensive UK and Ireland tour throughout April and May 2026. Having previously sold out a seven-date tour of Japan, these live performances promise to bring his introspective storytelling to life with the same quiet power found on the record.
23 April — Leeds, Brudenell Social Club06 May — Manchester, Gullivers07 May — Hebden Bridge, The Trades09 May — Glasgow, Glad Café10 May — Edinburgh, Voodoo Room12 May — Newcastle, Cumberland Arms13 May — York, The Crescent16 May — Nottingham, The Grove17 May — Oxford, Common Ground18 May — Sheffield, The Greystones21 May — Brighton, Prince Albert22 May — London, Moth Club23 May — Bristol, Folk House24 May — Birmingham, Kitchen Garden Cafe27 May — Liverpool, Kazimier Stockroom07 June — Dublin, Whelans
Source: klofmag.com