Xiu Xiu Announce David Lynch-Inspired Album Eraserhead Xiu Xiu

Text San Jose experimental band Xiu Xiu have unveiled Eraserhead Xiu Xiu, a new album deeply inspired by David Lynch’s 1977 cult classic Eraserhead. The seven-track release, recorded in Berlin, marks the band’s latest foray into Lynch’s sonic and visual universe, following their 2016 Lynch-inspired album Twin Peaks Xiu Xiu (released with the director’s blessing). Eraserhead Xiu Xiu arrives on July 10 via Polyvinyl, with pre-orders available now.

At the heart of the album is a haunting reinterpretation of In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song), the iconic track from Eraserhead featuring Lynch’s own lyrics and Peter Ivers’ music. Xiu Xiu’s version strips the song to its eeriest essence—whispery, theatrical vocals reminiscent of Scott Walker, punctuated by the toll of a solitary bell before dissolving into fragmented field recordings and modular synth textures. The band’s approach mirrors Lynch’s film in its unsettling beauty, employing electrical interference, homemade instruments, and found sounds to evoke the film’s surreal atmosphere.

This isn’t the first time Xiu Xiu have engaged with Lynch’s work. Their 2016 album, Twin Peaks Xiu Xiu, paid homage to Lynch’s television masterpiece, and the band’s decision to return to his oeuvre follows the director’s death in early 2025. The new album continues their tradition of blending experimental music with Lynchian dread, though with a more fragmented, collage-like aesthetic.

Beyond the studio, Xiu Xiu will bring Eraserhead Xiu Xiu to life in a series of live performances this fall. Two shows are scheduled at Los Angeles’ 2220 Arts + Archives on October 2 and 3, followed by a date at San Francisco’s Gray Area on October 8. Tickets are available through the band’s official channels.

The album’s release also arrives amid ongoing conversations about art, ethics, and technology. In July 2025, Xiu Xiu announced they were removing their music from Spotify, citing then-CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in AI war drones—a decision that underscored the band’s long-standing commitment to political and creative integrity. While Eraserhead Xiu Xiu doesn’t explicitly address those concerns, its immersive, unsettling soundscapes feel like a natural extension of their artistic ethos.

For fans of experimental music and Lynch’s filmography, Eraserhead Xiu Xiu promises to be a deeply atmospheric listen—one that lingers like a half-remembered nightmare. With its blend of Lynchian horror and avant-garde composition, the album solidifies Xiu Xiu’s place as purveyors of music that feels both timeless and urgently contemporary.