The Japanese CD release

Magne’s new album Living With Ourselves was released on CD in Japan by Sony Music on 22 January.

The CD comes in a jewelcase and includes two separate booklets, one with the lyrics in English and one in Japanese.

The album tracklist is the same as the ltd. edition art vinyl and the digital album, but also includes “I’m In (MF demo)” from 2021 as an exclusive Japanese bonus track.

In a new interview with music website Side-Line, Magne says there are no plans for the album to be released elsewhere:

“There was originally no plan for any other physical release than the ltd edition vinyl. The CD release in Japan was an in-call from Sony Japan which came totally unexpected, but there are no plans for any further physical releases, no.”

The CD can be ordered from CD Japan or as an import from JPC in Germany.

Tracklist:
1. Look how far we haven’t come
2. One 4 all and all 4 none
3. Living with ourselves
4. God is in the details
5. Teo’s theme [instrumental]
6. Time is on your side
7. White horses
8. World so strange
9. You won (and then some)
10. Giving in to christmas
11. Hold the line [TOTO cover]
12. I’m in (MF demo) [Japanese bonus track]

Art by Magne on both the cover and the record itself

Fans in many countries are now starting to receive the Living With Ourselves Limited Edition Art Vinyl, which was sold exclusively through Magne’s official website on November 1st. Only 200 copies were available and sold out instantly.

The album comes in a gatefold sleeve, numbered and signed by Magne. He has also personally mixed the colours of each individual vinyl record. Additionally, the package includes a unique monotype print (12×12 cm, signed and numbered on the back) from the Past Perfect Future Tense period, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of that album.

The album includes all the 11 tracks listed on a-ha.com recently, but has a different running order. It opens with “Look how far we haven’t come” and ends with a cover version of TOTO’s “Hold the line”.

Living With Ourselves is released on Magne’s own label Passion Fruit Records, while the record itself was pressed at T-Time Vinyl Plant in Stavanger, Norway, where Magne and producer Bjarne Stensli are among the co-owners.

A regular edition of the album on vinyl or CD has not been announced so far.

Vinyl album tracklist:

Side A
1. Look how far we haven’t come
2. One 4 all and all 4 none
3. Living with ourselves
4. God is in the details
5. Teo’s theme [instrumental]
6. Time is on your side

Side B
7. White horses
8. World so strange
9. You won (and then some)
10. Giving in to christmas
11. Hold the line [TOTO cover]

Picture by Carlos Maciá

In a new update posted on a-ha.com, Magne has shared more details about his upcoming solo album “Living With Ourselves”; the recording process, the unconvenient delay due to Covid and the current release strategy.

“i have decided that a staggered release of songs later in the year leading up to christmas and beyond is that way to go, and to record a weekly podcast episode to go along with the release of each song”, Magne writes.

He is also inviting fans to submit questions for the podcast:

“for this podcast i would warmly welcome questions from you all – if you could please submit them to editor@a-ha.com before september 20th. ask me whatever. i’ll try to answer questions to the best of my ability..”

He also hints about “a limited physical release to be announced shortly” and plans to “celebrate music with you all in 2025 in some live format or another”.

Visit a-ha.com to read the whole update, which includes new song titles and a series of photos from the recording session in France in June 2023.