The album is a mix of feel-good anthems and thoughtful storytelling, reflecting both their growth as artists and their ability to tap into nostalgic, carefree vibes. While it still carries the duo’s signature cheeky boyish charm, ‘Competition Is for Losers’ also explores deeper themes, touching on personal struggles, societal pressures, and the ever-changing nature of the music industry as they grow older. The production is fresh yet familiar, with jazz-infused beats, smooth brass sections, and catchy hooks that make it unmistakably Rizzle Kicks. 

One of the standout tracks on the album is ‘Pleasure and Pain’, featuring the iconic Maverick Sabre. The song blends soulful melodies with hard-hitting lyrics, creating a track that is both uplifting and deeply emotional, reflected in the lyrics: “the day I saw that building on fire, my heart broke. There is still no justice, years later and there is still smoke”. Maverick Sabre’s distinctive voice adds a rawness to the song, complimenting the duo’s playful yet reflective lyricism. It’s a track that perfectly encapsulates the balance of light and dark tones that run throughout the album, capturing themes of joy while acknowledging the hardships that come with them. 

Other highlights include ‘Bad Tattoo’, a reflective yet infectious track that explores the lingering marks of past relationships, and ‘What’s Your Plans’, which brings their signature playful energy while touching on themes of spontaneity, and embracing the unknown during a night out, basically living without care. The album as a whole serve as a reminder of why Rizzle Kicks were such a refreshing force when they first emerged, while also proving that their sound has evolved to suit where they are now in their lives and careers. 

Rizzle Kicks first broke onto the scene in 2011 with their debut album ‘Stereo Typical’, which had hits like ‘Down with the Trumpets’ and ‘Mama Do the Hump’. Their unique fusion of hip-hop and indie-pop made them an instant success, and they quickly became known for their playful energy and vibrant live performances. Their 2013 second album, ‘Roaring 20s’, continued their success reaching number three on the Official Charts, but after a few years of touring and releasing singles, the duo gradually stepped away from the music industry to explore individual projects. 

Now, with their long-awaited comeback, 2025 is shaping up to be a huge year for Rizzle Kicks. Alongside the release of ‘Competition Is for Losers’, the duo has announced a headline tour across the UK, giving fans the chance to experience their new music live. This new album and tour suggest that they’re ready to fully embrace this next chapter of their career. 

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For longtime fans, ‘Competition Is for Losers’ is both a nostalgic return and an exciting step forward. It proves that while Rizzle Kicks may have taken a break, they haven’t lost the energy, humour, and charm that made them one of the UK’s most beloved acts. Whether you’ve been following them since their early days or you’re just discovering their music, this album is a must-listen, proof that they’re back, and better than ever. 

Ticket information for the tour can be found here. 

Speaking in an interview with Oliver Spencer, the drummer detailed some of the band’s process in recording the album and exactly when it should be available.

In the interview he said: “We’ve just recorded our latest album. I think we do one every 10 years or so. Yes. So expect the next one to come from the grave! The album comes out in January [2024].”

The timeline adds up considering it was reported that the band was recording in Jamaica some time last year (2022). In an interview, guitarist Pete Doherty said: “We have just been in Jamaica, me and Carl, and we’ve got a new album on the way.”

Drummer Powell has previously spoken a lot about the next Libertines album, as he has said: “The good thing is everybody’s been writing. Obviously, we’re not going to try and reinvent the wheel… but I think we can push the boat out a little more while still bringing something that has the same emotional integrity and dynamism that the audience craves when they come to a Libertines show.”

About the next album, Doherty during a performance at Glastonbury told the crowd: “There are lots of things on the table – some really good, strong and melodic rock’n’roll songs.”

Frontman Carl Barat has also previously spoken about the next album, as he said: “Sonically, we want to do something we haven’t done before… I think we’ll be looking to do something with a different energy than before. But we’re not at that stage yet.”

The band started work on the new album in 2019, as the band expressed interest in taking the album into many different musical directions with Pete Doherty likening the album’s potential sonic diversity to Sardinstra by The Clash – he said: “Carl wants to do a ‘Sandinista’ thing with all these mad ideas that we’ve got, so we’ll have all these freestyle things and folky things, then there’s the more traditional Doherty/Barat songs,”

One new song has been detailed by the band; a track named ‘Shiver’ which the band seem particularly fond of. About the song, Doherty said the track has “got a real sentimental hark back”, which must mean a stylistic return to old-school Libertines tracks. Co-frontman Barat was in agreement, claiming “Yeah, ‘Shiver’’s great. I was listening to that last night, actually.”

The time has come! We’ll be releasing our sixth album via @LNFGlasgow and it’s hands down the absolute best record we’ve ever made. You can preorder here:https://t.co/So5mvdUMqm pic.twitter.com/5mvRCzY7R9

— The Kundalini Genie (@KundaliniGenie) June 17, 2023

The latest release from the group that is keeping British psychedelic rock alive and well marks another chapter in The Kundalini Genie’s ascent into British psychedelic folklore, with the band claiming on the post that announced the album that the LP is “hands down the absolute best record we’ve ever made“. Exciting stuff, truly, for any fan that has witnessed the group’s stunning progression via their previous releases.

The Glasgow based experimental/psychedelic rock outfit released their debut album, Reverberation, in 2017, and have since released an impressively prolific total of five albums in the past seven years, with their latest making it six in seven.

Listen to “The Soul That Makes Me Yours“, the opening track of The Kundalini Genie’s debut album, below:

The band have been continually supported by a devout cult following and have been likened by fans and critics alike to fellow psychedelic rock group The Brian Jonestown Massacre, with both bands mixing reverb heavy drone-pysch numbers with more upbeat, 60’s psychedelia inspired, Rolling Stones-esque experimental wanderings. Another 60’s band the group has been compared to is the Velvet Underground, helped undoubtedly by the fact that the Kundalini Genie covered the Velvets’ track “Oh Sweet Nothin’” on Austrian record label Schore’s ‘the HillTone Sessions’ back in 2020.

You Are The Resurrection, the band’s second album, was released in 2018 and, like the first, was not attached to a label. The third, It’s All In Your Head (2019), was released by both Captain Beefart Records, which is also a Youtube channel that has continually supported the band by way of Youtube uploads, and Little Cloud Records, the latter also releasing their next two records, 1111 (2020), and Half In, Half Out (2021).

Watch the music video for “Half In, Half Out”, the title track from The Kundalini Genie’s fifth album, below:

You can pre-order False Highs, True Lows here.

See below for The Kundalini Genie summer tour dates:

27/07/2023 – Kendal Calling – Penrith
01/09 – The Old Blue Last – London
02/09 – Manchester Psych Fest – Manchester
03/09 – Edinburgh Psych Fest – Edinburgh

You can purchase tickets for these live shows here.