With *Ox*, Palace are turning a new page. On their fifth album, the London-based band have resolutely chosen freedom: no expectations, no external pressure, just songs exactly as they want to hear them. The result is a warm, open record on which their familiar dreamy sound rings out richer and more emotional than ever.

*Ox* was recorded with their regular producer Adam Jaffrey and exudes movement, lightness and adventure. The ten expansive tracks draw inspiration from life on the road. This gives rise to a classic American sound, accompanied by imagery that seems to come straight out of a painting. At the same time, Palace leave more space than ever before: from the tender first single ‘Kid’, written out of longing for their children during long tours, to the compelling six-minute track ‘Brown Bread’.

What began as a monthly concert series in a London pub has since grown into Palace Presents: their own label and a global community that operates completely independently. You can hear that independence on *Ox* too: confident, effortless and carried by a band that is clearly comfortable in its own skin and thoroughly enjoying making music together. In this way, Palace has slowly but surely established itself as a much-loved and well-established name within the contemporary indie scene.