Photo by Brian Friedman

Four-time Grammy-winning, genre-defying musical ensemble Snarky Puppy have shared the new single “Belmont” from their highly anticipated album Empire Central which is set to release on Sept. 30 via the band’s own GroundUP Music imprint.

“Belmont” holds a flamenco rhythm and has the stanza structure of ballads, the title is a reference to the name of Michael League’s – Snarky Puppy’s bassist and bandleader – street during his time living in Dallas. There, just a few blocks away from Gezellig, he would watch the Bernard Wright Trio on Monday nights. After the bar would close at 2 a.m., local musicians and members of high-profile bands, including Erykah Badu’s, Snoop Dogg’s, Kirk Franklin’s and more, would migrate to his home for an after party. “Belmont” is a nod to those nostalgic times, the city it took place in and the people that encouraged League to create a project as ambitious as Snarky Puppy, and follows singles “Trinity” and “Bet.”

Empire Central, as a whole, consists of 16 all-new tracks that were recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Deep Ellum Art Company in Dallas over eight nights. While Snarky Puppy performs often with over 20 artists, Empire Central features three guitarists, four keyboardists, two brass, two reeds, a violinist, multiple percussionists and drummers and League on bass. The tracks all pay homage to the city that gave birth to the group that formed while studying jazz at the University of North Texas. The project also features the last recorded performance of ’80s funk pioneer Bernard Wright, who passed away at age 58 shortly after the Empire Central recording sessions.

“Snarky Puppy has always been a band that prioritizes the sound of the music,” shared League in a press release. “On this record there was some collaboration in the writing process but when a song goes to the band and the players start making suggestions or changing things our collective feeling really comes through. The songs ended up being a lot more direct and funkier than those on our previous records. I think it reflects the many moods of the city’s scene.”

It’s notable that the ensemble are set to tour around Europe throughout the fall before hitting U.S. roads in the spring of 2023 and have recently partnered with Osiris Media to create a new podcast documenting the writing, recording and creative process of Empire Central. All three episodes are available to purchase here.

Pre-order the album Empire Central here.

Listen to “Belmont” below.