London shoegaze band Whitelands has unveiled their new single 'Blankspace', a darker track previewing their upcoming album 'Sunlight Echoes'. Set for release on January 30, 2026, via Sonic Cathedral, the song draws from personal experiences with grief. The band will support it with a February tour across the UK and Europe.
Whitelands, a London-based shoegaze quartet, marked a shift in their sound with the release of 'Blankspace' on January 14, 2026. This single contrasts the pop-leaning melodies of earlier tracks like 'Heat Of The Summer' and 'Glance', venturing into more abrasive territory. Frontman Etienne Quartey-Papafio and bassist Vanessa Govinden described the song as emerging from intense personal encounters with grief and mortality, serving as a means to process those emotions.
The track accompanies the band's second album, 'Sunlight Echoes', due out on January 30, 2026, through Sonic Cathedral. A visualizer for 'Blankspace', crafted by guitarist Michael Adelaja, highlights the group's growing creative independence. Formed from Quartey-Papafio's initial solo project, Whitelands now includes drummer Jagun Meseorisa, evolving into a full band after their acclaimed 2024 debut 'Night-bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day'.
Post-album, Whitelands will headline a tour starting February 6, 2026, at Supersonic in Paris, followed by the Grauzone Festival in The Hague on February 7. UK dates include Birmingham on February 18, Glasgow on February 19, and London at MOTH Club on February 26, with additional shows in March and a May 23 appearance at Wanderlust Festival in Southampton. This follows a 2025 filled with performances alongside Slowdive and High Vis, elevating the band within the shoegaze scene. Quartey-Papafio noted the new material pushes their sound into more expansive and 'real' directions, blending melodic immediacy with atmospheric tension in live sets.
