Remember the Future (Jonna Lee album) explained

Remember the Future
Type:studio
Artist:ionnalee
Cover:Ionnalee - Remember the Future cover art.png
Recorded:2018
Studio:Home Studio (Sweden)[1]
Genre:Electropop
Length:50:08
Label:To whom it may concern.
Producer:
Chronology:ionnalee
Prev Title:Everyone Afraid to Be Forgotten
Prev Year:2018

Remember the Future (stylised in all caps) is the fourth studio album by Swedish singer Jonna Lee. It was released on 31 May 2019 by her own record label To whom it may concern. It has spawned the lead single "Open Sea" released on 8 February 2019, "Some Body" released on 26 April 2019 and "Remember the Future" released on 24 May 2019. It features contributions from her iamamiwhoami collaborator, Claes Björklund, as well as Röyksopp, Zola Jesus and Jennie Abrahamson.[2]

Background and release

Lee has embarked on a tour promoting her album, Everyone Afraid to Be Forgotten. The artist stated that between shows "I found myself alone in my studio at every given chance, inspired from that whole synergy I experienced with the audience on stage."[3]

On 3 February 2019, the artist announced the release date of the lead single, "Open Sea", released on 8 February 2019, alongside the new album, its title, release date, pre-order and North America tour dates.[4] [5]

In March 2019, Lee revealed the album's track listing and artwork as well as new tour dates.[6] [7]

On 17 April 2019, Jonna Lee announced the second single, "Some Body" released on 26 April 2019, preceding the album, alongside the video premiered on 25 April 2019 on the YouTube channel of iamamiwhoami.[8]

Concept

Lee described Remember the Future as "visionary album of daring to dream, and shooting for the stars, despite the paradoxical underlying chafing knowledge that we're destroying our planet".[9]

Artwork

The robot featured on the album cover was created by Lee. She portrayed it as "a retro space-age symbol of the visions of the past when people were dreaming of exploring the universe and the possibilities seemed endless."[10]

Promotion

To promote the album, Lee embarked on a tour in United States and Canada. It began on 19 April 2019.[11] The European leg of the tour was cancelled due to the artist's health issues.[12]

DateCityCountryVenueOther artists
19 April 2019BrooklynUnited StatesElsewhereAllie X
21 April 2019New York CityBowery Ballroom
22 April 2019CambridgeThe Sinclair
25 April 2019MontrealCanadal'Astral
26 April 2019TorontoPhoenix Concert TheatreTR/ST
28 April 2019ChicagoUnited StatesBottom LoungeAllie X
1 May 2019PortlandHolocene
3 May 2019SeattleThe Showbox
4 May 2019VancouverCanadaVenue
9 May 2019San FranciscoUnited StatesGreat American Music Hall
10 May 2019Los AngelesThe Fonda

Critical reception

Remember The Future received generally positive reviews from music critics. Eric Torres of Pitchfork stated that Lee "tilts her off-kilter electropop toward compellingly dystopian visions" while rating the album 7.2 out of 10. In her review for AllMusic, Heather Phares declared that on the album, Jonna Lee "takes a lighter, more hopeful - and more purely pop - approach." She further stated that she "doesn't sacrifice any of her music's complexity" and "carefully balances the album's more direct songs with spacious interludes that suggest spaces to confront and embrace the hope and fear that come with the unknown."

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Remember the Future.[13]

Musicians

Technical personnel

Artwork

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
Worldwide31 May 2019Digital downloadTo whom it may concern.[14]
Sweden3 July 2019LP
22 July 2019CD

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SGN - Seattle Gay News - Page 22 - Remember the Future: A Q & A with ionnalee . Price . Jessica . . 3 May 2019 . 5 May 2019 . 5 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190505212600/http://sgn.org/sgnnews47_18/page22.cfm . dead .
  2. Web site: ionnalee / Remember the Future . ionnalee . 28 March 2019.
  3. Web site: ionnalee debuts brand new single, 'OPEN SEA', ahead of forthcoming second album . The 405 News Team . . 8 February 2019 . 30 March 2019.
  4. ionnalee . 1092080886827438081 . this ship leaves in 5 days. new single OPEN SEA friday. x il . 3 February 2019 . 30 March 2019.
  5. ionnalee . 1092437697199833089 . i am over the moon to announce my new album 'REMEMBER THE FUTURE' may 31 along with it comes a US/CA TOUR in april. the first single OPEN SEA is out friday / x il. . 3 February 2019 . 30 March 2019.
  6. ionnalee . 1110909044120842241 . introducing REMEMBER THE FUTURE artwork & tracklist. can’t wait for you to hear it, a big moment in my body of work. the album features light/dark moments + some special contributions from @_brbl_, @ZOLAJESUS, @royksopp and @JennieAbrahams. . 27 March 2019 . 30 March 2019.
  7. twimc_label . 1110921693860675584 . announcing new dates added to the @ionnalee . 27 March 2019 . 30 March 2019.
  8. ionnalee . 1118489077249191938 . SOME BODY - video premiere on youtube april 25. follow link to attend . 17 April 2019 . 26 April 2019.
  9. Web site: ionnalee's Newest Project Is the Otherworldly Hype Album . . Calfee . Bailey . 30 May 2019 . 30 May 2019.
  10. Web site: Ionnalee: Meet the Experimental Visionary Merging Music and Visual Art . 10 May 2019 . The Untitled . 11 May 2019.
  11. Web site: ionnalee / LIVE . ionnalee . 28 March 2019.
  12. ionnalee . 1164522548144607232 . 22 August 2019 . TWIMC; lately i haven’t been well. my ongoing health condition has accelerated. to make sure it doesn’t go further i need to rest and get my strenght and will back. this means i will cancel my EU fall tour. it is sad, but i won’t gamble with health. hope to see you all soon. love.
  13. Remember the Future. ionnalee. liner notes. To whom it may concern.. TWIMC007iLA. 2019.
  14. Various citations concerning the 31 May 2019, release of Remember the Future: