Today, critically-acclaimed Dutch electronic duo Weval (AKA Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers) announce their long-awaited new album ‘CHOROPHOBIA’, due for release on the 5th September 2025 on Ninja Tune imprint Technicolour. Alongside the announcement the duo share up-beat new single “JUST FRIENDS”, which follows on from UK-bass-infused “DOPAMINE” released last month – both tracks signalling an exciting new direction for the duo. Weval are also heading on a massive run of UK and EU shows this summer supporting Rüfüs du Sol, before a headline tour in Autumn.
When it came to making their fourth album, ‘CHOROPHOBIA’, Weval faced their fears. Despite being grouped into the dance scene since their 2013-released debut EP ‘Half Age’ and going on to play festival stages including Nuits Sonores, Lowlands, Primavera, Best Kept Secret, Pukkelpop and DGTL Amsterdam with their five-piece band, Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers have actively pushed away from being known as a floor-filling act. But, more recently, when the pair stumbled across the phrase chorophobia – which means a fear of dancing – they decided to lean into the irony and get out of their comfort zones. “Until that point, we had always worked on records with a ‘listening’ mindset,” Harm reflects of Weval’s second and third albums (2019’s ‘The Weight’ and 2023’s ‘Remember’) – “we realised that we’ve been scared of making dance music for all of our journey as producers”.
Jumping in at the deep end has resulted in Weval’s most extroverted collection to date. While they teased this new direction with 2024’s groovier ‘Night Versions’ EP for Technicolour, letting go of their inhibitions has required patient artistic evolution. “we wanted to commit in a way that still felt liberating and true to us”, Harm says, adding that calling it a dance record not only felt like a u-turn but freed them from the boundaries and cliches of certain categories.
This unrestricted, genre-crossing ethos made room for guilty pleasures, higher BPMs, big drops and an increased number of hi-hats. The titular intro sets the scene and is ominous enough to soundtrack a 70s horror movie, before acid synths take it in a wiggier direction, flowing seamlessly into the spiralling build up of ‘MOVEMENT’. Comparatively, ‘JUST FRIENDS’ would suit a Tame Impala record perfectly, and the funk-infused ‘BETTER’ sits in a similar sphere to records from the Motown era. Featuring vocals from club favourite KILIMANJARO’s brother who spontaneously joined a studio visit, ‘HEAD FIRST’ – ups the ante, as does ‘DOPAMINE’, while the subtler ‘MERCATOR’ forms a bridge between Weval’s previous releases and this record.
An album designed to be experienced with others – ‘CHOROPHOBIA’ is sure to satisfy both longtime fans and lead them to discover a new audience. Not only is it a hedonistic expansion to the sonic world that Weval spent almost a decade building, their stylistically-brave fourth record is proof that doing what scares you the most often ends up being the most thrilling choice to make.
Weval – CHOROPHOBIA’
Tracklist:
1. CHOROPHOBIA
2. MOVING ON
3. MOVEMENT
4. JUST FRIENDS
5. HEAD FIRST
6. DOPAMINE
7. THIS IS…
8. BETTER
9. OPEN UP THAT DOOR
10. MERCATOR
11. FREE
Weval Tour Dates:
25-May: Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Lofi
31-May: Paris, France – Cercle Odyssey
10-Jun: Barcelona, Spain – Poble Espanyol (Rüfüs du Sol support)
11-Jun: Barcelona, Spain – Poble Espanyol (Rüfüs du Sol support)
14-Jun: Berlin, Germany – Uber Eats Music Hall (Rüfüs du Sol support)
15-Jun: Berlin, Germany – Uber Eats Music Hall (Rüfüs du Sol support)
17-Jun: Amsterdam, The Netherlands – AFAS Live (Rüfüs du Sol support)
18-Jun: Amsterdam, The Netherlands – AFAS Live (Rüfüs du Sol support)
21-Jun: Rome, Italy – Auditorium Cavea (Rüfüs du Sol support)
24-Jun: Paris, France – Zénith (Rüfüs du Sol support)
28-Jun: Madrid, Spain – Parque Enrique (Rüfüs du Sol support)
03-Jul: Luster, Norway – Bergtatt festival
05-Jul: London, UK – Crystal Palace Park (Rüfüs du Sol support)
06-Jul: Kraggenburg, Netherlands – Wilde Weide 2025
09-Jul: Zürich, Switzerland – ZOA (Rüfüs du Sol support)
20-Jul: Antwerp, Belgium – Contrair Open Air
26-Jul: IJzendijke, The Netherlands – Weitje Rock
16-Aug: Biddinghuizen, The Netherlands – Lowlands festival
Headline Tour:
05-Oct: Amsterdam, The Netherlands – The Loft
05-Nov: Cologne, Germany – Stadhalle
06-Nov: Hamburg, Germany – Mojo Club
07-Nov: Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset
08-Nov: Berlin, Germany – Festsaal Kreuzberg
13-Nov: Zürich, Switzerland – Dynamo
14-Nov: Lausanne, Switzerland – Les Docks
15-Nov: Milan, Italy – Circolo Magnolia
21-Nov: Brussels, Belgium – Le Botanique
23-Nov: Utrecht, The Netherlands – Tivoli Vredenburg
27-Nov: London, UK – Hackney Church
29-Nov: Paris, France – Centquatre
04-Dec: Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz, Room 2
05-Dec: Madrid, Spain – Teatro Magno
06-Dec: Istanbul, Turkey – Zorlu PSM
08-Dec: Athens, Greece – Universe
When is Weval’s CHOROPHOBIA album released?
CHOROPHOBIA will be released on 5th September and is available to pre-order now.
Stay tuned for Electronic ConnectFM Tracks of the Month selection and listen to Weval’s new music first
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