Empirical - Like Lambs: To The Slaughter (2026) [Hi-Res]

The British jazz ensemble Empirical has unveiled their eighth album, Like Lambs: To The Slaughter, released on the Whirlwind Recordings label. Following the relocation of vibraphonist Lewis Wright to the USA, the core trio of Nathaniel Facey, Tom Farmer, and Shaney Forbes adopted a flexible lineup model, recruiting pianist Ivo Neame and guitarist David Preston as key collaborators. The album is structured as a continuous 51-minute conceptual suite that critiques the contemporary Zeitgeist, addressing themes of herd behavior, modern individualism, and societal collapse. Musically, this ambitious work bridges 19th-century European romanticism, complex Yoruba rhythmic patterns, post-bop, free jazz, and chamber soundscapes, challenging the listener's fragmented attention span through a unified sonic narrative rooted in collective empathy and shared spiritual faith.

Nathaniel Facey – alto saxophone
Thomas Farmer – double bass
Shaney Forbes – drums
Ivo Neame – piano
David Preston – guitar

Tracklist:
1-1 Empirical;Ivo Neame;David Preston;Nathaniel Facey;Tom Farmer - The Garden of Beginnings - Innocence and Bliss [2:49]
1-2 Empirical - Giants [10:47]
1-3 Empirical - Like Lambs - Ignorance and Innocence [5:04]
1-4 Empirical;Ivo Neame;David Preston;Tom Farmer;Nathaniel Facey - Like Lambs - To the Slaughter [5:10]
1-5 Empirical - Like Lambs - To Our Own Demise [4:48]
1-6 Empirical;Ivo Neame;David Preston;Nathaniel Facey;Tom Farmer - The Gardens of Beginnings - Earth [6:03]
1-7 Empirical;Ivo Neame;David Preston;Tom Farmer;Nathaniel Facey - Drogon [10:24]
1-8 Empirical - The Garden of Beginnings - Divine Revelation [6:03]