Kula Shaker Release Eighth Studio Album Wormslayer on Strange F.O.L.K.

Kula Shaker released their seventh studio album, WORMSLAYER, on January 30, 2026. The record is the second to feature the original line-up of Crispian Mills, Alonza Bevan, Paul Winterhart, and Jay Darlington since the latter’s return to the group. Recorded using live-to-tape analogue methods, the album includes the singles “Good Money” and “Charge of the Light Brigade.”

The album’s narrative structure includes a “psychedelic opera” trilogy consisting of the songs “The Winged Boy,” “Shaunie,” and “Good Money.” According to Mills, these tracks detail a story involving a “classic Faustian pact.” The title track, “Wormslayer,” is a nine-minute composition divided into three distinct parts, while “The Dust Beneath Our Feet” concludes the record with references to the work of W.B. Yeats.

In our interview with Kula Shaker, the band discussed the internal motivations behind their return to a prolific recording schedule. Reflecting on the group’s early days and their shared objectives, Mills stated the mission was to “Get a record deal — Get paid — Save the world. In that order.” Drummer Paul Winterhart noted the “tricky dynamic of maintaining an individual as well as a group determination to keep on the path” during their formative years. Mills also addressed the psychological demands of a long-term musical career, remarking, “The real ‘War’ is internal: Self confidence vs Self loathing. I don’t think anyone dodges that bullet.”

Kula Shaker formed in London in 1995. Their debut album, K (1996), reached the top of the UK Albums Chart and remains one of the fastest-selling debut records in British history. The band is noted for incorporating Sanskrit lyrics and Indian classical influences into a psychedelic rock framework, specifically on the singles “Tattva” and “Govinda.” Crispian Mills is the son of actress Hayley Mills and director Roy Boulting. Keyboardist Jay Darlington spent a decade performing with Oasis during Kula Shaker‘s hiatus periods, while Alonza Bevan has recorded and toured with Johnny Marr and The Healers. Their subsequent studio releases include Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts (1999), Strangefolk (2007), Pilgrims Progress (2010), K 2.0 (2016), and Natural Magick (2024).

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