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Contents Format: CD Specifications: Jewel Case "How would you live if you knew when and how you were going to die?" Puma Blue (real name: Jacob Allen), a South London-born, Atlanta-based artist who has announced his new album 'Croak Dream' (to be released on February 6, 2026 by Play It Again Sam), explores this philosophical question through bold lyrics and production, showcasing his love for trip-hop, dub techno, jungle, and cutting-edge electronic music. 'Holy Waters', a conscious shift from the intimate atmosphere of his early EPs and 2021 debut album 'In Praise of Shadows', received critical acclaim from numerous media outlets including NPR, The FADER, Clash, NME, Paste Magazine, FLOOD, and Northern Transmissions. 'Croak Dream' follows 'Holy Waters' and is his latest work featuring a full band. "When I opened up to collaborations, I knew what Puma Blue could do," Allen reflects on the outcome of 'Holy Waters'. Production on 'Croak Dream' initially began after the 'Holy Waters' tour, but he temporarily halted his focus on new songs and tried a creative detour. Seeking new ways of expression following the powerful sound of 'Holy Waters', Allen poured that energy into the tracks on 'antichamber' and its sister album 'extchamber', released in February 2025, immersing himself in acoustic textures and ethereal, dreamy vocals. "I always wanted to be an artist who is constantly evolving," Allen says, and he gravitated towards the raw, unedited songwriting of 'antichamber', continuing his creative flow to complete 'Croak Dream', his first album in 12 months. The sound of 'Croak Dream,' woven from the low, drooping irises of trip-hop, the instinctive anguish of Radiohead, and Allen's distinctive vocals, rises abruptly from breathtakingly intimate moments to the meticulously constructed title track. Like vines entwining around a magnificent building, it constantly blossoms in various directions, inducing ecstasy. The album was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios with co-producer Sam Petts-Davies (The Smil, Warpaint) using a unique method of recording sessions directly onto tape, setting it apart from Puma Blue's previous works. "We didn't want to make an album like 'Holy Waters,' which was just a capture of the band playing in a room," Allen explains. He and Petts-Davies brought in fragments of songs, the band improvised based on them, and later compiled those improvisational sessions into loops, which were then incorporated into the final recording. This process brought the album to life, surprising even those involved. "When I sent the finished album to the band, they were like they were hearing themselves playing these songs for the first time," Allen says. Puma Blue is a project by singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Allen. His early music, described as voicemail ballads, was created in his bedroom. He gained attention in 2014 with the demo "Only Trying 2 Tell U" uploaded to SoundCloud, and slowly gained fans through live performances in and around London and online. In 2017, he self-released the EP "Swum Baby." After that, he signed with Blue Flowers, released two singles, and then released his second EP "Blood Loss" in November 2018. In October 2019, he released the live album "On His Own (Live at Eddie's Attic, Atlanta)," and during that time, he sold out shows in London, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo. In 2021, he released his debut album "In Praise of Shadows." Building on that success, he released his second album "Holy Waters" in September 2023. In February 2025, he surprised fans by releasing "antichamber," an album that moved away from the full band setup and focused on hazy electronic textures and acoustic instrumentation. In May, he released its sister album, "extchamber." During this time, he also frequently collaborated with others, producing and writing songs for Loyle Carner's "Hugo," and co-writing with Biig Piig, Mahalia, Lava La Rue, and others. [Japan tour confirmed!] ?z 2026/03/31 (Tue): Osaka UMEDA CLUB QUATTRO 2026/04/01 (Wed): Tokyo Zepp Shinjuku SMASH: https://smash-jpn.com/live/?id=4582?yTRACKLIST?z01. Desire 02. Mister Lost 03. Hold You 04. Croak Dream 05. Heaven Above, Hell Below 06. (Fool) 07. Hush 08. Jaded 09. Silently 10. Cocoons 11. Yearn Again Media Reviews and More Puma Blue, the project of artist Jacob Allen, born in South London and based in Atlanta, has released his new album "Croak Dream," his first full-band album in two and a half years. (C)RS