Medium Build Drops 'In My Gut' With Zane Lowe, Sets Sept. 4 Release for New LP 'King of Having Fun'

Medium Build, the project of singer-songwriter Nick Carpenter, debuted his new single "In My Gut" with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 on August 12. The track is the third preview of his forthcoming album King of Having Fun, out September 4 on slowplay/Island Records, following earlier album cuts "Armor" and "Home Depot."

Carpenter wrote "In My Gut" with artist Annika Bennett. In his own words: "We were exchanging stories about our childhoods and the way our parents handled conflict. Harping on the way our fathers performed toughness or avoided hard conversations. We explored how we inherited these traits and the new ways we meet conflict in our own lives. I still don't really know what this song is about, but I think it's my favorite."

The album was recorded live in-studio with Carpenter's collaborators, including musical director Paul Rogers, engineer Jimmy Manfield, and "atmospheric moodmaker" Jake LiBassi (a.k.a. Laiko). The approach centered on performing as if playing larger rooms and leaning into what Carpenter describes as "rock and roll moments." The 14-track LP spans country, rock, and indie. It is Carpenter's first full-length since 2024's Country.

King of Having Fun was recorded live as a full band in the studio, with an eye toward how the songs would translate on bigger stages. That kind of intentional production thinking is worth noting for independent artists who often record in isolation: building toward a live sound from the start can shape how a record grows with you.

Carpenter, who was born in Georgia and splits time between Nashville and Anchorage, launched Medium Build in 2015 and has released five studio albums. He was nominated for Emerging Act of the Year at the 24th Annual Americana Honors and Awards in 2025, according to the release.

On the touring side, Carpenter supports Mumford and Sons at Madison Square Garden on August 12 and 13, then makes his Grand Ole Opry debut on September 5 as part of the "Opry 100" celebration. A full headline run kicks off in October and wraps in late November.

LA fans can catch him at The Bellwether on November 5 with support from The Scratch. The tour also includes stops in San Francisco (Oct. 31), San Diego (Nov. 2), and Phoenix (Nov. 6).

King of Having Fun is available to pre-save now.