fantasy of a broken heart announce new EP & shows, share “We Confront the Demon in Mysterious Ways”

Brooklyn duo fantasy of a broken heart have announced the follow-up to their great debut LP, last year’s Feats of Engineering. Their new EP, Chaos Practitioner, is due out on April 11 via Dots Per Inch. It features contributions from Jackson Katz of Brutus VIII, Nick Rattigan of Current Joys, and Kelsea Feder of Blums, and it was mixed by Nate Amos of Water From Your Eyes and This is Lorelei (both of which Al Nardo and Bailey Wollowitz play in live) and mastered by Ruben Radlauer of Model/Actriz. See the cover art and tracklist below. The first single is “We Confront the Demon in Mysterious Ways.” Al and Bailey say, “‘We Confront the Demon in Mysterious Ways’ is the centerpiece of the album and a confrontation with reality following all these songs about daydreaming. It’s brutally honest at times and hopefully conveys some truth that the ultimate battle is internal. Two lovers hit a perpetual wall and keep trying even though things aren’t getting better.” They add:

The EP was recorded in Brooklyn, Mexico City, and Los Angeles; mostly at home perched on the couch or the floor. Our friend and fantastic engineer Nick Noneman who worked on Feats of Engineering had us in his studio for two days in which we worked with our friends Kaylee Stenberg (Ethel Cain) and Gabe Stout. Nick was a dear friend during the aforementioned quarantine times in Los Angeles and was present when the buds of some of these songs first developed. Also making her first appearance on fantasy recordings is Kelsea Feder (Blums), who currently plays keys in the live band and has been an essential part of this era of the group. The EP was mixed by Nate Amos (Water From Your Eyes, This is Lorelei) and mastered by Ruben Radlauer (Model/Actriz). We’re lucky to have made the project with close friends in close quarters. It’s our most bedroom project to date and feels all the more personal by the nature in which it was recorded, mostly Al and I writing in the comfort of home or a hotel room on the road. We’re super excited about how it turned out.

The band have shows coming up, including an NYC headlining show at Union Pool on April 17 and a DJ set supporting Godcaster on April 8 at Night Club 101. They’re also headed to SXSW this month, where they have six shows lined up, including our BrooklynVegan SXSW Showcase at Mohawk on Friday, March 14. See their full schedule below.

FANTASY OF A BROKEN HEART – CHAOS PRACTITIONER TRACKLIST Passion Clouds Victory Path Have a Nice Time Life (ft. Brutus VIII) Star Inside the Earth Road Song (ft. Current Joys) We Confront The Demon In Mysterious Ways FANTASY OF A BROKEN HEART: 2025 TOUR DATES Mar 07 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club (with Vundabar) Apr 08 New York, NY Night Club 101 (DJ set, with Godcaster) Apr 17 Brooklyn, NY Union Pool FANTASY OF A BROKEN HEART: SXSW 2025 SCHEDULE Wed 03/12 – First Date Touring x Keeled Scales @ Chess Club (5:00pm) Thu 03/13 – Creem x Third Man Records @ 13th Floor (3:35PM) Thu 03/13 – DPI Records @ Hotel Vegas (9PM) Fri 03/14 – Paste showcase @ High Noon (4:20 PM) Fri 03/14 – Brooklyn Vegan showcase @ Mohawk (TBD) Sat 03/15 – Baby’s All Right @ The Creek & The Cave (TBD)