Electronic act UNKLE [ tickets ] will launch its first North American tour as a live band, with the group's main duo eschewing a synths-only approach in favor of a seven-piece backing outfit.

Fronted by Mo' Wax label owner James Lavelle and singer/songwriter Richard File, the group--which traditionally has used a shuffling cast of backing players and collaborators--will kick off its American outing Oct. 18 in New York City.

The tour--which involves "guitars, bass, drums and synths set against a backdrop of intricate lights and AV screens for a one-of-a-kind audiovisual experience," according to the band's publicist--will hit six cities and run through late October. Dates are below.

The group is backing a new album, July's "War Stories," the first release on Lavelle's new Surrender All label. Formed in 1994 by school friends Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy, UNKLE has released only three studio albums: "War Stories," 2003's "Never, Never, Land" (which marked File's debut with the outfit) and 1998's "Psyence Fiction."

Typical of all of UNKLE's full-length albums, "War Stories" includes a wide variety of guest performers, this time featuring Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age (who also appeared on "Never, Never, Land"), Ian Astbury of The Cult, and members of Massive Attack, Autolux and The Duke Spirit.

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