Michelangelo Dying

Michelangelo Dying is the seventh studio album by Welsh singer and producer Cate Le Bon. Produced by Le Bon and Samur Khouja, it was released on 26 September 2025 by Mexican Summer.

Background and recording

The album was made between Hydra, Cardiff, London, and Los Angeles. The album was finished in the Joshua Tree desert.^[2]

Le Bon revealed the album was meant to come out a year earlier in 2024, but felt too sick and exhausted after a break-up. Le Bon described the album as: "realising you’ve completely abandoned yourself in the throes of this all-encompassing love. The breakup was always like an amputation that you don’t really want, but you know will save you".^[3]

Packaging

The album's packaging and imagery was inspired by artist Colette Lumiere's installation "Recently Discovered Ruins of a Dream", which depicts a woman lying in a chamber draped in fabric, while mirrors line the floor. Le Bon said: "That’s what I really wanted the record to feel like, you can roll up your sleeves and take something on, then you have a rest, because something is resolved."^[3]

The picture in the centre of the album cover depicts Le Bon "drowning", surrounded by mirrors.^[3]

Critical reception

^[4]

Year-end lists

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes and Tidal.^[1][13]

• Cate Le Bon – synthesizers, vocals, production, arrangements (all tracks); guitars (tracks 1–8, 10), bass (1–5, 7–9), percussion (8, 10)
• Samur Khouja – production, engineering, mixing
• Heba Kadry – mastering
• Stephen Black – additional engineering
• Euan Hinshelwood – additional engineering (all tracks), saxophones (1–5, 7–10)
• Valentina Magaletti – percussion (1–9), drums (2, 5)
• Paul Jones – piano (1–4, 8), synthesizer (9)
• Dylan Hadley – drums (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10)
• H. Hawkline – vocals (8), art direction, photography, design
• John Cale – vocals (9)
• Dustin Boyer – vocal engineering for John Cale (9)
• Cadi Lane – fabric walls
• Christian Fritzenwanker – hair, makeup
• Kim Howells – styling

Charts

References

1. ^ Michelangelo Dying. Mexican Summer. 26 September 2025.
2. ^ Murray, Robin. "Cate Le Bon Announces New Album 'Michelangelo Dying'". Clash Music. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
3. ^ Snapes, Laura. "'The breakup was like an amputation that saves you’: Cate Le Bon on healing from heartache and her heavy new album". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
4. ^ "Michelangelo Dying by Cate Le Bon Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
5. ^ "The AllMusic 2025 Year in Review: Favorite Singer/Songwriter Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
6. ^ Mandel, Leah (8 December 2025). "The 50 best albums of 2025". The Fader. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
7. ^ Snapes, Laura (19 December 2025). "The 50 Best Albums of 2025". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
8. ^ "The 75 Best Albums of 2025". Mojo. No. 386 (January 2026). London: H Bauer Publishing. 6 November 2025. pp. 50–61. ISSN 1351-0193
9. ^ "The Best of 2025: New Albums top 25". Record Collector. No. 578 (Christmas 2025). London: Diamond Publishing Ltd. 27 November 2025. p. 118. ISSN 0261-250X
10. ^ Dolan, Jon (15 December 2025). "The 55 Best Indie-Rock Albums of 2025". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
11. ^ "The Uncut Review of 2025: Best New Albums". Uncut. No. 346 (Review of the Year 2025). Yalding, Kent, England: Kelsey Media. 7 November 2025. pp. 60–68. ISSN 1368-0722
12. ^ Jardine, Ben et al. (25 December 2025). "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2025 Part 2 (#51–100)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
13. ^ "Michelangelo Dying / Cate le Bon / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
14. ^ "Top 100 Rock & Metal Albums de la semaine 40, 2025" [Top 100 Rock & Metal Albums of Week 40, 2025] (in French). Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
15. ^ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2025.