[PREORDER] David Byrne - Who Is The Sky?

In 2023, as his triumphant American Utopia era came to a close, David Byrne began jotting down the occasional groove, chord, or melody—assembling them into demos recorded with just an acoustic guitar layered over programmed beats and loops. The prior three years had offered him, along with much of the world, the chance to ask: “Do I like what I'm doing? Why am I writing songs, or working this job, or whatever? Does any of it matter?”

Byrne’s attempts to answer those weighty questions are captured on Who Is the Sky?, a first-time collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Kid Harpoon (aka Tom Hull, known for work with Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus) and the New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. The album also features guest appearances by Paramore’s Hayley Williams, longtime collaborator St. Vincent, and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner.

Building on the optimistic themes introduced in American Utopia—and expanded through its Grammy-winning Broadway adaptation and subsequent film—this album continues Byrne’s lifelong exploration of human connection and the potential for collective unity in a chaotic world.

Who Is the Sky? is particularly personal, cinematic, humorous, and joyful, often with unexpected lessons woven into its fabric: that love is unexplainable, that enlightenment means different things to different people, and that it’s always wise to moisturize—whether you wake up the next morning with skin like a baby or not.

Most importantly, these songs showcase Byrne’s enduring talent for walking the razor’s edge between avant-garde experimentation and accessible pop brilliance.