News
14 October 2026 – The Avalanches Receive Early Reviews for No Bad Memories as Their Most Chaotic Album Approaches
By Editorial Team - October 14, 2026
Summary
Australian electronic pioneers The Avalanches receive critical acclaim for 31-track fourth album No Bad Memories featuring Karen O, Panda Bear, and Haley Joel Osment.
Key Facts
- The Avalanches receive enthusiastic early critical reviews ahead of fourth studio album No Bad Memories arriving October 16.
- Ambitious 31-track, 52-minute record features Karen O, Panda Bear, Jamie xx, Barry Can't Swim, Suzanne Ciani, and Haley Joel Osment.
- Accompanied by an original science-fiction film exploring nostalgia, advertising culture, and collective human memory.
- Entities: The Avalanches, No Bad Memories, Since I Left You, Karen O, Panda Bear, Jamie xx, Barry Can't Swim, Suzanne Ciani, Haley Joel Osment, Mike Patton, NME
- Tags: the-avalanches, no-bad-memories, electronic, sampledelia, australian-music, karen-o, panda-bear, jamie-xx
Australian electronic music pioneers The Avalanches are approaching the October 16 release of their fourth studio album No Bad Memories, with newly published reviews highlighting its extraordinary range of musical influences and unconventional structure. The album contains thirty-one tracks across approximately fifty-two minutes, combining samples, original performances and contributions from an extensive collection of guest artists.
Collaborators include Karen O, Panda Bear, Jamie xx, Barry Can't Swim, Suzanne Ciani, John Glacier, Portraits of Tracy and Carly Simon. The project also incorporates spoken contributions from Mike Patton and arrives alongside an unusual science-fiction film featuring actor Haley Joel Osment. The Avalanches established their reputation through elaborate sample-based compositions, particularly their influential 2000 debut Since I Left You. Their latest project appears determined to push that approach even further, incorporating fragments of advertising, unexpected transitions and a deliberately fragmented listening experience.
An October 14 review published by NME describes the record as exceptionally eclectic, noting that its constant stylistic changes can sometimes become exhausting while highlighting several particularly effective individual songs. Tracks receiving attention include "Blue Shadows", "Can't Get Over Losing You" and "Far Away". The album's concept examines nostalgia, advertising and the relationship between collective memory and contemporary technology.
Importantly, No Bad Memories is not yet commercially released; today's development concerns newly published critical coverage ahead of Friday's launch. The Avalanches have spent decades proving that apparently unrelated recordings can coexist within a single composition. Their latest album suggests they are now attempting to fit an entire radio station, several parallel universes and a small advertising agency into one record. Explore more innovative soundscapes in our electronic music section.