A real return seems to be ruled out, but the name of Sonic Youth continues to resurface with strategic punctuality, fueling expectations and curiosity. After the suggestions – more symbolic than concrete – circulated in recent months on their social channels, the New York band is now back to being talked about with a special release linked to Record Store Day 2026.
In fact, April 18th will see the publication of “Diamond Seas”, a 12″ conceived as a radical reworking of “The Diamond Sea”, one of the most iconic songs of the “Washing Machine” period. The operation is signed by John Oswald, composer and sound artist known for monumental work on the Grateful Dead's “Grayfolded”.
Oswald put his hand to 32 live performances of the piece, recorded between 1995 and 1996, reassembling them into two new autonomous compositions, each lasting just under twenty-one minutes. The result is not a simple collection of remixes, but an assembly and stratification operation that transforms the original material into a new sound flow.
Pressed on 12-inch white vinyl, “Diamond Seas” features performances from 1995 on side A, while side B is entirely built on recordings from 1996. An object designed for collectors and attentive listeners, which reiterates how Sonic Youth's legacy continues to be reworked, rather than celebrated.
 |
In recent days there had been hope again for Sonic Youth's return together. The New York band, formed by Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley, which disbanded in 2011 after three decades of activity, also thanks to the stormy divorce between Moore and Gordon, had celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of “Washing Machine” on social media by spreading an enigmatic image: the famous illustration of the washing machine that stood out on the album cover, with the writing “2026” instead of “Sonic Youth”. The image also appeared on Kim Gordon's Instagram account, fueling speculation about a possible project for next year.
Accompanying the post, Gordon wrote: “This was my favorite recording experience with Sonic Youth: we went to Memphis, ate lots of barbecue, went to Al Green's church on Easter Sunday and busted out some great jams!”
However, a few weeks ago, during a long interview with Rolling Stone, Thurston Moore had ruled out the possibility of a real reunion by Sonic Youth. “I don't feel nostalgia, I feel curiosity for the future,” he says, adding that the reunion they often become “a branding exercise rather than a musical one” and that replicating the original youthful energy is impossible: “Seeing people in their seventies trying to recreate their twenties… it's not for me.”
After the separation with Kim Gordon, their relationship remains collaborative but not oriented towards nostalgia: “Our path has been solid, with over thirty years of career, and our legacy stands on its own,” Moore explained to Rolling Stone.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
