John Carpenter’s music has always been subsidiary to his filmmaker identity. That’s been swiftly changing over the past couple years, though. Back on Halloween of 2014, the celebrated director announced his first album of non-soundtrack material, Lost Themes, indicating that he was creating a musical personality distinct from film.

The record was one of the best-selling LPs ever released on the Sacred Bones catalog, and it proved that Carpenter’s music was viable—so much so that it could even be taken on the road. With his latest record, Lost Themes II, Carpenter is doing just that. Today the composer released the complete list of US tour dates, as well as an official “Live in Studio” video for “Distant Dream”—one of the two singles he’s released from the upcoming record.

The clip, filmed in LA studio The Village Recorder, was directed by Carpenter and features his son Cody Carpenter (synthesizer) and his godson Daniel Davies (guitar)—both musicians also contributed to the first Lost Themes. John Spiker (bass), John Konesky (guitar), and Scott Seiver (drums) round out the band.

The video is shot in a shadowy room with an ever-moving camera, creating the illusion of an unseen creature stalking at the periphery (so very Carpenter). The horror film icon makes a couple brief appearances, standing at his patented, minimalist synthesizer. “Distant Dream”—as is typical of Carpenter—revolves around that synth, but it’s less minimalist than most of the composer’s repertoire. Biting guitars and layered electronics add depth to the piece, creating a sound that’s fuller and yet still redolent of the Carpenter-as-composer we’re coming to know and love.

Lost Themes II arrives April 15 via Sacred Bones. Check out the video and let us know what you think in the comments. Full tour below:

TOUR DATES
(click here to buy tickets)
5/27 Athens, Greece – Piraeus Academy
5/28 Athens, Greece – Piraeus Academy
5/30 Copenhagen, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset – Koncertsalen
6/02 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound
6/14 Seattle, WA -Paramount
6/15 Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer
6/17 Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre
6/18 Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum
6/19 Phoenix, AZ – The Mesa Center for the Arts
6/21 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
6/23 Austin, TX – Moody Theatre @ ACL LIVE
6/24 Dallas, TX – Majestic Theater
7/03 Ásbrú, Iceland – ATP Iceland
7/06 Neuch̢tel, Switzerland РInternational Film Festival
7/08 New York, NY – Playstation Theatre
7/09 Philadelphia, PA – Keswick Theatre
7/10 Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
7/12 Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre
7/15 Detroit, MI – The Masonic Temple
7/16 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
7/18 Milwaukee, MI – Pabst Theatre
8/26 Turin, Italy – Today’s Festival
8/28 Rome, Italy – Auditorium Parco Della Musica / Santa Cecilia Hall
10/28 Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
10/29 Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
10/31 London, UK – Troxy

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IMAGE: Kyle Cassidy/Sacred Bones