Matthew Followill, founding member and lead guitarist of Kings of Leon, is stepping out of the iconic band’s arena-rock orbit and into a more atmospheric world of his own after announcing the first solo album under his electronic alias, CMF.Ad 0:00 Click for sound 0:00 / 0:00 Titled If We’re Apart, I’m Somewhere Missing You, the album will feature 26 tracks.
It’s slated to release on June 19th via Saesori Sounds, introducing a markedly different side of Followill’s musicianship.Known for helping shape Kings of Leon’s timeless rock music, Followill is using his CMF nom de plume to explore a more ethereal, weightless sound.
The album is said to draw from ambient and folktronica, with cinematic electronic production that shifts away from the stadium-sized guitar riffs of his Grammy-winning band in favor of textured soundscapes and slowly unfolding arrangements.According to the announcement, Followill wrote and recorded the material during time away from the road, allowing the project to develop without the usual pressure of a tour cycle or album rollout.
That sense of open-ended experimentation appears to be central to the album’s identity.“The idea for making this music came from the joy of creating and experimenting with everything I’ve collected over the years,” Followill said in a statement.
“I wanted it to reflect what I gravitate to as a listener: organic instrumentation blending with ambient textures.It’s personal and instinctive, inspired by long days on the road where time loses meaning and the world feels cinematic, atmospheric and immersive.” If We’re Apart, I’m Somewhere Missing You is scheduled to release on June 19th, 2026....