Newton Faulkner Launches New Era with Magnetic New Single ‘Gravitational’

BabyStep Magazine
Jul 14
2 min read

Singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner has unveiled ‘Gravitational’, the latest single from his upcoming eighth studio album OCTOPUS, set for release on 19th September 2025 via Cooking Vinyl.

The track, co-written with INK., marks another bold step in Faulkner’s creative reinvention. Drawing on electronic textures and playful production, ‘Gravitational’ sees the artist pushing beyond his signature acoustic sound to embrace vocoders, synths and drum loops. “We wrote this song about someone totally catching you off guard and blowing your mind – a completely unavoidable attraction, like being caught in a tractor beam,” Faulkner explains. “I hope it’s as fun to listen to as it was to make.”

This sense of spontaneity and self-discovery runs throughout the OCTOPUS era, which began with last year’s genre-blending collaborations ‘Alright Alright Alright’ and ‘Hunting Season’ (featuring Lissie and Los Bitchos). The album also features a track with Bloom Twins, and promises a mix of intimate storytelling and inventive production.

Faulkner’s transformation was symbolically cemented in November 2024, when he famously cut off his trademark dreadlocks on stage during a sold-out show at London’s Islington Assembly Hall. The moment, during a stripped-back rendition of ‘Dream Catch Me’, raised funds for Teenage Cancer Trust and marked a new chapter in the artist’s journey.

Recorded in his East London home studio, OCTOPUS is described as both expansive and deeply personal. After years of near-constant touring, Faulkner took time to pause, recalibrate, and explore new sonic terrain without pressure or expectation.

Alongside today’s release of ‘Gravitational’, fans can now pre-order OCTOPUS in a variety of collectible formats, including limited edition CDs and vinyl with bespoke artwork exclusive to each outlet (Amazon, HMV, indie stores and Faulkner’s own website).

To support the album, Faulkner will embark on a UK & Ireland tour this autumn, with stops including London’s Earth Concert Hall, Manchester Academy 3, Dublin’s The Ambassador, and Glasgow SWG3.