by      

Katie Notopoulos

Tanlines returned Tuesday with new music. The duo of Eric Emm and Jesse Cohen today shared their new song "Outer Banks," the first preview of their upcoming album The Big Mess.

The new record, which is coming May 19, will be the duo's first in eight years and also their first project released on their new label home Merge Records.

“This song is about being a perfectionist. When I was younger, I thought that being called that was a compliment,” says Emm. "But I’ve come to realize it’s actually a liability. This is especially true in any kind of partnership. Making concessions, adjustments and letting things go are all components of a successful endeavor.”

Adds Cohen: “I've spent the last few years in work environments where the deck seems to have become the primary communication tool for young professionals. I wanted to find a way to use that language to tell the story of our song, ‘Outer Banks.’ Hopefully this video resonates and tickles anyone who has sat through the kind of presentation at work where someone in a box on the screen just reads the slides out loud. Welcome to Tanlines' hybrid work era!”

Check out the video below.