Max Richter - New Album Sleep Circle Is Out On 5 September for 10th Anniversary
New album Sleep Circle marks 10th anniversary of landmark opus SLEEP
Richter makes a much-anticipated return with performances
of SLEEP at London’s Alexandra Palace on 5 & 6 September
Max Richter’s new album, Sleep Circle, is released on Friday 5 September 2025. A 90‑minute distillation of his groundbreaking eight-and-a-half-hour composition SLEEP, it marks the 10th anniversary of this magnum opus. The original SLEEP has now surpassed 2 billion streams across all platforms, becoming the first classical record to do so, which cements its position as one of the most ambitious and culturally significant classical music projects of the 21st century.
Sleep Circle, issued via Deutsche Grammophon in all formats, including a deluxe vinyl edition, is a trip into the hypnagogic state – the liminal space between wakefulness and sleep in which dreams begin to take shape. The process of selecting its 24 tracks was informed by the insights Richter gained from performing an abridged version of SLEEP live, allowing him to reframe the material with a more intimate and focused architecture. Highlights such as “Dream 11 / Moth-Like Stars” and “Non-Eternal” are placed within a sequence that mirrors the natural 90-minute REM cycle. Recorded at Studio Richter Mahr in Oxfordshire, Sleep Circle showcases Richter’s unique ability to translate profound human experience into music, offering listeners a space to slow down and reconnect with their inner selves.
The release coincides with the largest-ever SLEEP performances at London’s Alexandra Palace on 5 & 6 September 2025, Richter’s first London SLEEP shows since 2017. These eight-and-a-half-hour overnight renditions, during which audiences can drift in and out of sleep, have become distinctive cultural events that blur the lines between concert and art installation.
Released in 2015 and co-conceived with creative partner Yulia Mahr, the original full-length version of SLEEP was created in collaboration with neuroscientist David Eagleman to explore how sound interacts with the sleeping mind. It was the first classical record to reach 1 billion streams, and its continued success reflects what Richter calls “protest music” – a counter-argument to our oversaturated, overstimulated world.
Max Richter is one of the most influential composers of his generation, whose catalogue has now amassed over 3.5 billion streams. His work spans film scores for Denis Villeneuve, Martin Scorsese and Ari Folman, fashion shows for Dior, and ballets choreographed by Wayne McGregor, demonstrating his versatility across multiple creative disciplines.
