‘New Best Thing’ captures the sleazy swagger of Home Counties
Home Counties return with ‘New Best Thing,’ a swaggering synth-laced single, previewing their second album Humdrum, due October 24 via Submarine Cat Records.
The track bursts with strobe-lit intensity, blending blog-era dance-punk and indie sleaze. Built on swung rhythms, stabbing guitars, and squelching synths, ‘New Best Thing’ targets overconfidence bred by consumption and instant gratification. Will Harrison and Lois Kelly deliver sharp, dual-edged vocals, channeling the band’s immediacy and social commentary.
Will Harrison explains:
“Inspired by the electroclash of Peaches with the Cowboy-guitar blues rock of Alabama 3, we tried to make something that was fun and immediate – something that wouldn’t feel out of place on a PlayStation 2 driving game. Pairing swung drums and obnoxious synths and guitars, it felt sleazy and swaggering.
“This feeling inspired the lyrical content, capturing the overconfidence that comes from consumption and how society either tolerates it or looks down upon it depending on class. Writing the lyrics and music quickly also added to the general immediacy of the song. It was a rare moment of not allowing ourselves to overthink things, which I guess in a way reflects the carelessness of the subject matter.”
With its sleazy swagger and infectious energy, ‘New Best Thing’ is both a standalone thrill and a tantalising glimpse of what’s to come on Humdrum.
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