Home Counties, a Bristol-based post-punk group released their second EP, In A Middle English Town, in February. Their version of the modern (mainly) UK post-punk sound takes the form of self-described “post-funk” or “wonk-pop” that adapts the economical, structured styles of many of their contemporaries (such as Sports Team, Yard Act, Pip Blom, and others) to capture daily life in a small town in the South of England. Their sound blends wiry, Gang of Four-style riffs with ecstatic synths that make the music hold as much personality as their lyrics.
This EP takes a surreal approach to mundanity, putting the fixed-interest rate loans and pressure-washed patios in full color that at once highlights how absurdly ordinary it all is and lets the lyrics use wit and character to guide the listener through the scenes. It captures ordinary, everyday life without being ordinary or mundane itself.
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