Arankai has announced his new studio album, “The Shape of Blue”, for an October 30th, 2026, release on Hopeless Records. The rising rocker has been steadily climbing to viral popularity through his unique, emotion-packed tracks, and fan-favorite social media videos. Now, he’s stepping into a new era with his best-crafted music magic yet, and, yes, there’s endless heavy breakdowns (per usual).
Today’s new single, “I Hope It Hurts”, is “a flavour-meld of hardcore riffs and vocals with punk and pop elements”, according to Arankai. “To me it’s not enough that a song is ‘heavy’ – I need some kind of impact that makes me fall in love with the track. This song covers the idea of separating yourself from people who have taken advantage of you. Too often we stay in the same circle of familiarity even if it’s detrimental. So it is with peace we can say ‘may you live and learn’”.
“‘The Shape of Blue’, like its predecessor ‘A Portrait of Red’, covers a range of human experiences: rebellion, pride, sacrifice, to name a few that stick out. I tend to draw from personal experiences, but with this particular record I found myself writing songs that reflected specific situations involving other people; sometimes I wasn’t even a part of those situations, it was just a powerful moment I found inspiring.
I really wanted this record to be something special. I did a lot of things I haven’t done before, wrote songs in styles that were new to me; I really wanted to give people a new, exciting experience. I believe ‘The Shape of Blue’, as an album, is a strong, emotive piece. And I hope people enjoy it as much as I loved making it”.
Pre-order & pre-save “The Shape of Blue” here.
Tracklist:
1. Helter Skelter (feat. buffalo farm)
2. I Hope It Hurts
3. Disobey
4. Sick & Sweet
5. Playing God
6. Letdown
7. Temper
8. Choke
9. Convince Me
10. Have Faith
11. The Shape of Blue
Hailing from the American Midwest, Arankai has quickly established himself as one of alternative metal’s most compelling emerging voices. Following the release of “A Portrait of Red” in 2025, the first chapter of an ambitious three-album series, he now returns with “The Shape of Blue”, a record that expands both his songwriting and sonic palette while continuing to explore the complexities of the human experience.
Where its predecessor drew heavily from personal reflection, “The Shape of Blue” widens its perspective, taking inspiration from the experiences of others to explore themes of rebellion, sacrifice, pride and resilience. Unified by an immersive, water-soaked atmosphere that runs through every element of the record, from its production to its songwriting, the album blends crushing heaviness with moments of melancholy, experimentation and nostalgia, marking another bold step forward for one of alternative metal’s most exciting new artists.
UK & European Tour Dates 2026:
Sep 11: London Downstairs at the Dome
Sep 13: Antwerp Kavka
Sep 14: Frankfurt Nachtleben
Sep 15: Berlin Cassiopeia
Sep 20: Utrecht DD’s
UK Tour Dates 2027:
Jan 27: Dublin Academy*
Jan 28: Belfast Limelight 2*
Jan 30: Glasgow the Garage*
Jan 31: Leeds the Key Club*
Feb 01: Manchester Club Academy*
Feb 03: Birmingham O2 Institute 2*
Feb 04: London Electric Ballroom*
** (w/ Melrose Avenue)
Web:
ffm.bio/arankai
