Once a caricature of all things absurd – part Monty Python, part Hunter S. Thompson, and completely post-irony internet-era psychedelia – Lazarus Kane was a blast of eccentricity that was hard to ignore. An alumni of famed London label Speedy Wunderground, the Bristolian art-pop persona had the undeniable polished sheen of stardom and, luckily, the talent to match. Initial singles ‘Narcissus’ (his release on Speedy Wunderground) and ‘Night Walking’ cemented him as a funky fella whose very presence would summon your dancing shoes to your feet. Now, though, finding himself on the new So Young Records label, the voice behind Lazarus Kane, Ben Jakes, has shed the persona and is offering his sincerest self on ‘Milk At My Door’, the first single from upcoming EP Psychobabble.
With recent announcements that Lazarus Kane was to be the third signing for the So Young record label following releases from post-punk experimenters Folly Group and funk-pop Lime Garden, plus an upcoming tour alongside PVA, it felt like high time that Kane returned to our ears. While his return has presented an aesthetic shift, with Jakes noting “it felt disingenuous to continue the character with the current state of the world”, there still remains a heavy helping of what made fans fall in love with Lazarus Kane in the first place.
Bouncing basslines, yelping vocals, and shimmeringly bright guitars keep up in a marathon fashion across the track, with the occasional burst of anxiety-laden intense drums offering just the right amount of contrast to the grooving soul of the track. With demure percussion and synth lines popping in-and-out like recurring cast members on a network sitcom, the track gives you just the right amount of funk while Jakes riffs on about the episodic TV-like existence we find ourselves in. The shortest offering from the band so far at just short of three minutes, the track is an exciting insight into where the artist is headed. With news of debut EP Psychobabble on the way and a generous amount of live shows on the horizon, it’s going to be an exhilarating time to follow Kane wherever he goes.
Words: Varun Govil // Photo: Seren Carys
‘Milk At My Door’ is out now via So Young Records. Stream or purchase the release via Bandcamp.