Laptop return with “Xanadu”, a sharp, groove-driven single from the upcoming album ‘On This Planet’, arriving June 5. The track pairs frontman Jesse Hartman with Nevis vocalist Anna Hadeed for a duet that opens like a romantic indie pop moment before revealing a deeper story beneath the surface.
Written and produced by Hartman, “Xanadu” explores the tension between artistic dreams and the pull of stability. The song takes aim at the American promise of permanence, the idea that owning something lasting might deliver peace. The melody glides with warm synth textures and breezy rhythms while the lyrics slowly expose the cracks inside that dream.
The title references Citizen Kane, where Xanadu represents Charles Foster Kane’s massive estate, a symbol of success that ultimately reflects isolation and regret. Laptop reimagines that image in a modern setting. In this version the dream is a tidy house and a comfortable life, wrapped in hope and expectation yet shadowed by ambition and quiet disillusionment.
The video unfolds on Oualie Beach in Nevis, where additional recording for the album took place. Beachside scenes of Hartman and Hadeed contrast with glossy postcard imagery following a stylish couple chasing paradise. The visual narrative turns sharply as their dream collapses, punctuated by kitschy slogans like “The Good Life” and “Live the Romance”.
Laptop first emerged in the late 1990s, releasing three albums through Island Records and earning praise for their mix of synth-pop melody, irony and thoughtful songwriting. Now revived with Hartman collaborating alongside his son Charlie Hartman, the project continues to evolve. ‘On This Planet’ marks the band’s first album since reforming and arrives June 5.