poor effort. delivers sharp social commentary on ‘talking mouth (on & on)’
Salford-based urban synth-punk poet, poor effort. returns with his latest single, ‘talking mouth (on & on).’ The track is a gripping blend of heavy bass, lo-fi electro melodies, and laconic vocal delivery, dissecting the chaos of modern communication and the culture of self-interest.
Taken from poor effort.’s upcoming debut EP, set for release on October 3, 2025, via Manchester’s emergent Home Taping label in partnership with EMI North, ‘talking mouth (on & on)’ builds on the momentum of June’s single ‘City Of Hope.’ With scratchy machine percussion, barbed wire guitar lines, and biting social critique, the song has garnered support from BBC 6 Music, Radio X, and BBC Introducing Manchester.
The single addresses the overload of communication in the digital age, with a sharp awareness that “conclusion arrives before irony does in the slow death of nuance.” poor effort.’s sound balances the gritty urban realism and playful tone reminiscent of artists like The Streets, Sleaford Mods, and early Gorillaz. Writing and producing mostly in isolation, Matty Dagger brings an experimental edge informed by his night owl habits and keen ear for air-pushing sonics.
“At first, ‘talking mouth’ was a lot faster and more of a thrashy garage punk song, but I struggled to get the chorus to feel right at that pace. I slowed the tempo down and found that this let it breathe a lot more while still maintaining its distinct drive. The synth melody and sequencers then transformed the nature of the song completely. The initial recordings are still lying around somewhere, maybe I’ll put them on the bonus compilation in 2050.”
‘talking mouth (on & on)’ is out now on your favorite DSP.
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