Tank and the Bangas Stream New Album 'The Last Balloon'

(Sacks & Co) The Last Balloon, the highly anticipated album from GRAMMY-award winners Tank and the Bangas is out today via Verve Forecast-listen here.

The album comes on the heels of singles, "Nighttime," "No Invite," and "Move," which received praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, OkayPlayer, BET, Essence and more, further highlighting the band's ever-growing musical palette. "We're working with new people and cultivating new sounds, and it feels like we're more open than we've ever been," says Tarriona "Tank" Ball on the new album, which features collaborations with the likes of Lucky Daye, Austin Brown, Ledisi and more.

The Last Balloon follows acclaimed albums Green Balloon (2019) and Red Balloon (2022), and marks both the closing chapter of the trilogy. "I called the album The Last Balloon because I didn't want anyone asking us, 'When's Purple Balloon coming?'" adds Tank. "It's the end of the balloons; we're moving into a new space now."

Executive-produced by frequent collaborator Austin Brown and recorded primarily at The Complex Studios in Los Angeles, the band worked alongside a range of artists including the multi-faceted musician Iman Omari, pianist/producer Tane Runo and soul singer Jelly Joseph. The Last Balloon finds the band exploring news sounds while contemplating themes of frustration, resilience and self-realization. Moments of vulnerability are met with bursts of joyful energy, as the record balances emotional catharsis and communal uplift.

The band's live shows served as a blueprint for the creation of the album, with their dynamic performances guiding the songs. "What we've learned over the years is that even though people can't always categorize our sound, they're always able to describe how the music makes them feel," explains Tank. "So, we're gonna keep on changing and evolving, but we're always gonna give you that same feeling of joy."

In 2024, Tank and the Bangas released their three-part spoken word project, The Heart, The Mind, The Soul, which won the band a GRAMMY Award for "Best Spoken Word Poetry Album." Each chapter of the album found Tank working with a different producer: The Soul with Robert Glasper as well as Austin Brown and Brian London, The Heart with James Poyser and The Mind with Iman Omari.

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