Its promotional campaign features a single aesthetic of a dystopian future in Palo Santo, both of which were prominently used for the album and its accompanying film. Palo Santo 's release was accompanied by a short film of the same name. Sonically, the album is a dance-pop and electropop record influenced by 1990s pop and R&B music.

Its visual imagery took inspirations from science fiction and technology where androids yearn to experience emotion. Its lyrical content deals with 'the murky, complicated side' of desire, as well as the connection between religion and carnality, using religious iconography in dealing with themes of sexuality, queerness and guilt. Palo Santo is a concept album, set in the titular fictional world, where traditional rules regarding gender and sexuality are nonexistent. Named after the South American ' palo santo' (Spanish for 'holy wood'), which was commonly used to fend off bad spirits, though Alexander used its name as a dick joke referring to men he knew, it is the group's last album as a trio. The trio met with frequent and new collaborators such as Mark Ralph, Greg Kurstin, Steve Mac and Jesse Shatkin to produce most its tracks. Influenced by religion and spirituality, lead singer and principal songwriter Olly Alexander wanted to connect religious transcendence to pop music after perceiving parallels between a church's sense of belonging and gay nightclubs. After the success of their Communion, the trio felt pressured in making their succeeding record. Executive produced by the band, it is the follow-up to their debut album Communion (2015). That's kind of how I see music and see songwriting.' In Spanish, Palo Santo translates to 'holy wood' or 'holy tree'.Palo Santo is the second studio album by the English electronic trio Years & Years, released by Polydor Records on 6 July 2018.

Olly explained that he liked 'the idea that you could burn something and it would cleanse the negativity. That's the name of track 10, that is the name of the album.' 'This stick of wood that you burn, the smoke is meant to purify your space from all evil spirits and negative energy and it's called Palo Santo. In an Instagram live session, Olly Alexander explained what inspired the album name Palo Santo and how related it to his experiences and creative process.

What is the meaning behind the name 'Palo Santo'?

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