by We are one year and 11 months into an Arctic Monkeys drought since the last time the band stepped onto stage. It’s been even longer since any recorded music, as The Car is now almost three years old. But finally, we appear to have been fed, so everyone say thank you, Matt Helders.
Or at least, maybe Matt Helders? Last night, the band’s drummer posted a cryptic message from a cryptic page. Pointing his followers towards a new band called Terrific, their Instagram account follows only two people; an artist called Tyler Parkford who has previously released under many different monikers as well as in Mini Mansions, and then Helders himself.
In their bio, there was a link to an even more cryptic website that granted one offering to anyone happy to put their email address in – a song.
Do that, and ‘WeHo’ will start blasting from your speakers. “The fuck you talking about?” the unmistakable Sheffield accent of Helders cuts through, sharing the vocals with Parkford. Instantly, that combination is reminiscent of ‘Vertigo’, the track that Alex Turner collaborated with Mini Mansions on way back in 2015. Clearly, staying in contact as friends, now it’s Helders taking to the mic.
But the makeup is much the same. Similar to ‘Vertigo’, and to a lot of Mini Mansions’ stuff, this is a hyper-stylised, super maximalist track. It sounds like neon lights flickering in a club, but not a shit one. No, it’s neon lights flickering in a club from a movie, set somewhere between the ‘80s and indie sleaze era, with a dose of Studio 54 for good measure.
Both of the band’s seeming members are bringing their best. The beats are heavy as if Helders has finally been granted permission again to go hard after Arctic Monkeys’ last offering was much more subdued. Opposite him, Parkford is going all-in on disco, allowing himself to have some serious fun with the keys and synths.
Beyond that, though, it’s all a mystery. The website offers no more information about the song or who made it. There is no clue about what this could become, whether there are plans for any more releases or even an album, an EP,or perhaps a tour. There’s nothing but the track, so for now, all we can say is that the track is a good one – we are officially intrigued.
