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Midnight Oil announce 2 new albums, their first in almost 20 years

After nearly 20 years, Midnight Oil have announced that they’re finally back in the game with two new albums and a tour set for 2020. The rock legends are sticking to their politically-charged roots, with both albums set to tackle themes of reconciliation and climate chaos.

The band released the Armistice Day live album in 2018, after reuniting for a world tour the year before, but haven’t  released a new music since Capricornia in 2002.

Midnight Oil
Photo: Oliver Eclipse

Midnight Oil are set to add two politically-charged albums to their catalogue in 2020, dealing with reconciliation and climate change.

In a Facebook post, the band announce that 20 new songs have been recorded. Eight of these tracks focus on Indigenous reconciliation, and are set to be released midyear as a mini-album titled The Makarrata Project.

“We invited some of our First Nations friends to collaborate with us in various ways on each of these eight tracks. Band profits from this release will be donated to charities which elevate The Uluru Statement From The Heart (ulurustatement.org/the-statement),” the post states.

A handful of themed gigs will accompany The Makarrata Project release, as well as an Australian and international tour set to kick off 2020/2021. The band’s second album is scheduled for the end of the year, and will look into issues like climate change and the Australian bushfire crisis.

The band began recording both albums with Canadian-based British producer Warne Livesey after finishing off their 2019 European tour. Livesey is responsible for some of the band’s most influential work, such as Diesel & Dust, Blue Sky Mining and Capricornia.