clipping. – Forever War

clipping. drops “Forever War” as part of Dead Channel Sky Plus, the expanded version of their album hitting September 19th. The trio doesn’t just tack on bonus tracks, they’ve resequenced the entire 20-song original into a 24-track experience that includes four new cuts.

Daveed Diggs attacks “Forever War” with his signature rapid-fire delivery, tackling institutional violence and endless conflict. The track opens with squiggling electro that keeps twisting throughout, while synthesizers cut against dark bass lines. Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson’s production mirrors the relentless nature of the subject matter and brash percussion hits like sudden explosions.

“Forever War” includes catchier elements compared to deeper album cuts, plus a bizarre interpolation that nods to older hits filtered through their metallic lens. It’s still recognizably their post-apocalyptic sound, but with more entry points.

Dead Channel Sky originally drew from William Gibson’s Neuromancer, imagining a world where electro, Dutch hardcore, drum ‘n’ bass and industrial noise dominate. The Plus version doesn’t abandon that concept but it deepens it. Steve Kaplan co-produced and mixed with the band, while Levi Seitz handled mastering at Black Belt Mastering.

The timing feels deliberate. George Orwell’s “forever war” concept hasn’t lost relevance, and Diggs’ bars about mundane institutional violence hit differently in 2025. clipping. has always excelled at making experimental hip-hop that doubles as social commentary, and this track continues that tradition.

Critics have called Dead Channel Sky everything from “an epic masterpiece” to “album of the week.” The Plus edition suggests they’re not done exploring this cyberpunk territory. With sold-out shows in Brooklyn and London, plus festival dates at Cold Waves XIII and Talk Low Fest, the live versions of these tracks should be intense.

The expanded album includes collaborations with Nels Cline, Aesop Rock, and Kid Koala, showing clipping.’s ability to pull interesting guests into their dystopian world.

Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. Dominator
3. Change the Channel
4. Run It
5. Go
6. Simple Degradation (Plucks 1-13) (with Bitpanic)
7. Code
8. Dodger
9. Malleus (with Nels Cline)
10. Mirrorshades pt. 1
11. Scams (feat. Tia Nomore)
12. Keep Pushing
13. “From Bright Bodies” (Interlude)
14. Mood Organ
15. Forever War
16. Polaroids
17. Simple Degradation (Plucks 14-18) (with Bitpanic)
18. Madcap
19. Mirrorshades pt. 2 (feat. Cartel Madras)
20. “And You Called” (Interlude)
21. Hard-Eyes
22. Night of Heaven (feat. Counterfeit Madison & Kid Koala)
23. Welcome Home Warrior (feat. Aesop Rock)
24. Ask What Happened

North America:

• Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere *SOLD OUT (August 14)
• Philadelphia, PA – Ukie Club *SOLD OUT (August 15)
• Washington, DC – 9:30 Club (August 16)
• Asheville, NC – Eulogy (August 17)
• Chicago, IL – The Metro (Cold Waves XIII Festival) (September 27)
• Cincinnati, OH – Memorial Hall (Talk Low Fest) (September 28)

Europe:

• Wroclaw, Poland – Avant Art Fest (September 14)
• Leipzig, Germany – Moritzbastei (September 15)
• Berlin, Germany – Gretchen (September 16)
• Hamburg, Germany – Hafenklang (September 17)
• Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso (September 18)
• Brussels, Belgium – Botanique (September 19)
• Paris, France – Le Machine Du Moulin Rouge (September 20)
• London, UK – Koko *SOLD OUT (September 21)
• Leeds, UK – Project House (September 23)
• Glasgow, UK – The Garage (September 24)