After an eight year hiatus, modern soul singer Maxwell is gearing up for the release of his new album, BLACKsummers'night, his first full-length release since his critically-acclaimed third studio album Now, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in August 2001.

The new album is the sensuous opening instalment of the artist's monumental BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT trilogy. The trilogy's subsequent chapters, blackSUMMERS'night and blacksummers'NIGHT, are slated for release in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

The first, powerful single,  “Pretty Wings”, was released last week through digital services providers, while the video premiered on BET's "106 & Park" and on Musze.com, Maxwell's official website.

The new project reunites Maxwell with long-time collaborator Hod David, who serves as co-producer and co-writer of the album.  Striving for an emotional authenticity and real world sound for the album, Maxwell and Hod recorded the entire album live in the studio with an A-list ensemble of elegantly sympathetic musicians.

BLACKsummers'night will hit stores July 7th.

Additionally, Maxwell is scheduled to headline the main stage of the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans on July 4th and will be taking his new music on the road with a major North American tour in support of BLACKsummers'night.