More about: Working Men's Club

There are a lot of very good musicians out there, but originality  – real, true originality – is extremely hard to come by. As was established earlier in this magazine by the band themselves, a central tenet of the Working Men’s Club ethos is to avoid copying, or even reinventing.

In order to help communicate the sound of their second album Fear Fear, it helps to reference Joy Division, New Order – even artists as disparate as Depeche Mode and Death Grips – but Working Men’s Club are not a tribute to any of these bands. While it’s a stretch to declare the album a test tube baby born completely free of outside influences, Fear Fear does absolutely have the sound of a true original. 

Made to be played as loudly as you can bear, Fear Fear is brimming with battering alternative dance tracks that evoke the darker side of the dancefloor. Opener ‘19’ toes the line between antagonistic and addictive with its high-frequency intro, while could-be single ‘Heart Attack’ makes a synthesised mutant of disco and pop. You’ll know and love singles ‘Widow’, ‘Circumference’ and ‘Ploys’ – and if not, you’ve a great treat in store. On Fear Fear, there are hits, idiosyncrasies, and above all: originality.

Fear Fear arrives 15 July via Heavenly Recordings.

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: Working Men's Club