Steven Wilson has released Requiem for a Village, his ninth solo studio album — a folk-horror concept record narrated by actor David Tennant. The album came out on November 6, 2026, on Fiction Records, and it pairs Wilson's melodic songwriting with an unsettling story told through music and spoken word.
The record is set in a fictional, unnamed village in the British Isles that does not appear on any map. On the surface, the village looks idyllic, yet underneath it is pagan and sinister, and that contrast shapes the album from its opening track to its close.
Image: Requiem for a Village album cover (Fiction Records).
Requiem for a Village Album Details
Release date: November 6, 2026
Label: Fiction Records
Album: Ninth solo studio album
The album is a folk-horror concept album about a fictional, unnamed village in the British Isles that is not on any map. The village seems idyllic at first, but beneath that calm surface lies a pagan and sinister world, and the songs move between beauty, unease and dread as the story unfolds.
The narration was written by Andy Partridge of XTC and is voiced by actor David Tennant, known for Doctor Who and Broadchurch. His spoken passages give the album its storytelling frame and link the songs into a single narrative.
Wilson is joined by multi-instrumentalist Randy McStine, drummer Russell Holzman and vocalist Katherine Priddy. Holzman plays drums on "Requiem for a Village", "Now Departing", "A Basket of Bees" and "Wheel", while Priddy provides vocals on "Murmuration".
Wilson recorded deliberately out of tune on analogue synths only, as a stated reaction against AI and corrective studio technology. The approach is part of the album's character: the sound is warm, human and slightly imperfect by design, rather than polished to a flawless finish.
The album is named for David Gladwell's obscure 1975 arthouse film "Requiem for a Village".
Formats: CD, Blu-Ray with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 and hi-res stereo, and 140g two-12-inch black and green vinyl. The Oxblood 2LP vinyl and Deluxe Box Set editions are sold out.
Requiem for a Village Tracklist
The album contains 12 tracks, in this order:
- Swirl in a Lark's Eye (2:41)
- Requiem for a Village (7:55)
- The Same River Twice (3:23)
- Now Departing (7:20)
- Hiraeth (2:25)
- On Chapel Slope (4:53)
- Murmuration (7:15)
- Cursus Fingerprint (2:41)
- A Basket of Bees (4:32)
- Great Green Map (5:08)
- Wheel (3:55)
- The Old God Is Buried (2:00)
Singles and Background
The title track, "Requiem for a Village", was released as the first pre-release single on September 11, 2026, together with the first "Village Hall Session" video. It introduced the album's village, its narrator and its folk-horror mood.
"On Chapel Slope" followed on October 2, 2026, and "A Basket of Bees" arrived on October 26, 2026. Each single added another piece of the story before the full album was released.
A "Murmuration" visualiser was released with the album. The Village Hall Session videos, meanwhile, present the songs in a stripped-back, village-hall setting that suits the record's rural, ritual-like atmosphere.
The folk-horror influences are clear throughout: an isolated community, old customs, a landscape that feels both beautiful and threatening, and a story that leaves as much unexplained as it reveals. For more reading, see our Rush biography, Pink Floyd biography and Queen biography, and our guide to the Entropy album by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official visualiser for "Murmuration" by Steven Wilson below.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Steven Wilson's "Requiem for a Village" released?
"Requiem for a Village" was released on November 6, 2026, via Fiction Records.
Who narrates "Requiem for a Village"?
Actor David Tennant narrates the album, performing narration written by Andy Partridge of XTC.
How many tracks are on "Requiem for a Village"?
The album has 12 tracks, including "Murmuration", "On Chapel Slope" and "A Basket of Bees".
What is "Requiem for a Village" about?
It is a folk-horror concept album about a fictional, unnamed village in the British Isles that is not on any map — idyllic on the surface, but pagan and sinister underneath.
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