I Built You a Tower

Recording sessions for the album took place over a three-week period at Animal Rites, the Los Angeles studio of producer John Congleton. Additional parts were recorded remotely by band members in their home studios in Seattle, Bellingham, Los Angeles, and Portland.^[1] Congleton previously worked with the band on their last album, Asphalt Meadows.

I Built You a Tower was created during a period marked by both reflection on the band's past and significant personal change for frontman Ben Gibbard. At the time, they were touring to mark the 20th anniversaries of the albums Transatlanticism and Plans, while also performing with side project the Postal Service.^[3] During this period, Gibbard was also dealing with the end of his marriage.^[4] He described the challenge of performing nightly while managing the emotional weight of his personal life, noting that it required a process of emotional compartmentalization similar to what many people do in everyday tasks. He likened emotional experiences such as grief, trauma, or loss to a "tower" in one's inner landscape—visible and acknowledged but contained within a structure. The album explores the ways in which these emotions can occasionally resurface unexpectedly, despite efforts to keep them organized and controlled, reflecting on the tension between personal vulnerability and the demands of daily life.^[5][6]

In January 2026, the band signed with Anti-, marking an end to their 22-year period signed to major label Atlantic. Ben Gibbard said the band was "thrilled" to join Anti-, citing its roster of favorite artists and longtime friends. In announcing the move, they also announced a forthcoming North American tour featuring Japanese Breakfast, Jay Som, and Nation of Language at select dates.^[7] The band later announced I Built You a Tower alongside single "Riptides" on March 16, as well as additional European dates for later that year.^[8] The second single, "Punching the Flowers", was released on April 28.^[9]

Credits courtesy of Bandcamp.^[2]