Leon Bridges announces new ‘Happiness Anytime’ album

After two years, everyone’s favorite Grammy-winning Bishop Arts busker, Leon Bridges, is back with new music. The Fort Worth native is releasing a 12-track album, “Happiness Anytime,” in three installments, with a full release slated for Sept. 25. To tide us over until then, Bridges just dropped four singles from the album, with another four coming Aug. 21, before the final batch is released. 

“The album’s title serves as both a mission statement and an invitation,” reads Bridges’ website. “It’s music you can put on no matter how you’re feeling and be immediately transported somewhere coastal and warm.”

The “Texas Sun” singer has yet to announce whether a tour will accompany the release, but fortunately, we don’t have to wait for a tour announcement to hear Bridges play. All it takes is a bit of dumb luck to run into him on his stomping grounds. 

The new album marks Bridges’ fifth LP, following his eponymous record in 2024. “Happiness Anytime” is produced by J Lloyd and Lydia Kitto of the pioneering neo-soul group Jungle. 

Their fingerprints are strong on these early releases, which feature new musical elements borrowed from what the album page cites as “Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, Brazilian music, soul, disco and South American rhythms.” Kicking off the album with “Light the Way,” a lively brass band lends the track a unique swing that draws out Bridges’ natural soul in new ways. The track “Your Love Is Electric” is funkier, more akin to the passionate love songs Bridges has become known for. If transporting listeners to Havana nights was the mission, consider it achieved.

If the first four songs are any indication of what the remainder of the album will sound like, we’re in store for a much jazzier album designed for free-flying swing dances. If the last four Leon Bridges albums were designed for wedding first dances, this album was designed for the end-of-the-night inebriated, shoeless twirling.

With only 13 total minutes of new music from the artist, we’re counting down the seconds until the next batch drops.