Patrick Wolf teased the release of his new EP on Instagram, playing a rendition of the title song ‘Better or Worse’ on the octave lyre. He also states in the Instagram post that he has had a five string electric viola made especially for his current tour, showcasing his creativity. Early in Wolf’s career, he made his own instruments whilst part of London’s underground art and music scenes. Wolf also studied French and lived in Malaga, Spain allowing him to speak both Spanish and French in his music.

His latest EP is a perfect example of this, the third track ‘Hymne Des Étrangers’ is a slow ballad sang in French while the 4th song ‘Mejora O Empeorar’ is a electronic-folk song sang in Spanish. On Instagram, Wolf wrote “I guess this a good time to tell you a “better or worse” e.p will be yours on Monday, with my first song I’ve written in the French language “Hymne Des Étrangers” and the Spanish language reworking and summer of 2025 re-production of Better or Worse called “Mejora O Empeorar””.

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Patrick wolf released his debut album ‘Lycanthropy’ in 2004, first showcasing his unique blend of folk, electronica and baroque pop. In this album, he struggles with themes of isolation and addiction. These themes continue through his next releases, ‘Wind in the Wires’, released in 2005, through to ‘Lupercalia’, released in 2011. After the release of ‘Lupercalia’, Wolf took a long hiatus to focus on personal growth, sobriety and creativity. When he returned in 2023 with the ‘Night Safari EP’, it marked the beginning of a new chapter – one shaped by sobriety, reflection, and a deepening interest in language and cultural expression. ‘Better Or Worse’ continues that journey.  

Wolf is currently touring his latest full-length album “Crying the Neck’ , fan honest and intimate album that includes highlights such as ‘Limbo’ featuring Zola Jesus, and ‘The Last of England’ a single Wolf calls “his national anthem”. Here is the music video to his latest single.

Patrick Wolf is playing a show at the beautiful open air Minack Theatre in Penzance, Cornwall on September 5 2025, where he will play his 2005 seminal album ‘Wind in the Wires’ to celebrate it’s 20 year anniversary, before heading over to the USA and Canada to begin his tour there. Tickets for his show at Penzance are available here

Tracklist:

• Better Or Worse
• Hymne Des Étrangers
• She Didn’t Dance
• Mejora O Empeorar
• Better Or Worse (Instrumental)
• Better Or Worse (El Lobo Remix)

 The popular music festival has hosted big names to date, some of whom include Lizzy Mcalpine, Erykah Badu and Stormzy. It was awarded the NME Award For Best Festival at the Music Week Awards back in 2019 and has been nominated in the years since. Also playing at the festival include jazz and afrobeat newcomers 2023 Mercury award winners Ezra Collective, American rapper, Nas and Paris-based artist, Sainte.

Your soundtrack to Saturday 17 August at Uber One presents All Points East featuring @LoyleCarner, @Nas, @EzraCollective, Sainté and many more ✨

Listen now on Spotify at https://t.co/tVKQSn3eYX #AllPointsEast #LoyleCarner pic.twitter.com/zhlMC4qmAc

— Uber One presents All Points East (@allpointseastuk) November 27, 2023

Studying at The Brit School, home to current creative talents such as Ella Eyre, Freya Ridings, Raye and countless more, Loyle Carner grew up in a nurturing musical environment. The artist started producing at the age of around 14 and built his network of musicians through home studio sessions. This collaborative way of working has led to popular names such as Jorja Smith, Tom Misch and Jordan Rakei.

 Aged 29, Loyle Carner has had a bright decade of inspiring young people and creatives through music (and food!) Nearly ten years ago, he was in London’s Old Street teaching kids with ADHD how to cook. Whilst speaking about his time working with the kids, his inspiring nature as a teacher and positive influence beams through “We had warnings from some of the parents that their kids might do this or that…but they’ve been brilliant. There has been no talking back, no aggression. Everyone is happy and learning.”

 The foodie’s love of cooking, bringing mental well-being and positivity has led to restauranter-inspired hits:

As well as this lesser-known talent, Benjamin has a shining skill for writing effortless lyrics in his music which captures the hearts of many. In 2018 he won the NME Award for Best British Solo Act, following his 2017 Mercury prize, for his debut album Yesterdays Gone

The humble artist has a talent for sending the ‘right’ message across. Whilst discussing rappers’ responsibility to portray a particular message, he says “I don’t think music necessarily needs to have a message BUT there is a responsibility that you carry with music as a songwriter or rapper…It’s frustrating when grown men are still talking about selling or doing drugs, shooting people, sleeping with women”

 This festival is one of a few outdoor summer shows announced by Carner in the UK and Ireland for 2024. The one-day music event is happening on August 17 2024 and tickets are out now. Get hold of one here

Hailing from South London, the producer and multi-instrumentalist has been contributing his beautifully nostalgic and smooth brand of saxophone playing to a growing list of highly prominent artists around the globe for a while now. Having laid down some emotive riffage on “Alarm Clock” from Burna Boy’s Grammy Winning Album Twice As Tall in 2020, and also contributed to Wizkid’s “Starboy” and Beyonce’s “Ja Ara E”, Venna has become a hot ticket to collaborate with in the studio and fast become one of the most sought after producers and sax players in town.

With the release of his debut EP Venology though, Venna steps out on his own with a brand new solo project. The EP, put out by Hillside Records, is a collection of 6 songs the artist has written and produced himself with collaborations from the popular rapper Knucks, producer Marco Bernadis, and artists JVCK JAMES, JADA, and emil. It’s a wonderfully eclectic mix of jazz, hip hop, grime, and R&B, with Venna’s sax sounding throughout to create a warm and idiosyncratic world all of his own.

Speaking recently about his ambitions for the EP with NME, Venna said “I wanted this to be the biggest thing ever. I wanted the music to touch as many people as it could. Not in an arrogant way, but I know how special the music is. Before then, I’d worked with loads of people, and I appreciate everyone who’s brought me in and helped me get to where I am now, but there’s nothing more rewarding than finally doing it for yourself.”

Going on to explain his plans for 2022 and his recent collaboration’s with Yussef Dayes he explained “I’m running around the world with Yussef right now, which is a dream. We’re touring Australia, then New Zealand. His album’s coming out as well, and we’ve worked hard on it. And just my next project… I think I’ve got the track list, but I change things a lot. I’m very picky with my music. Anything I’m heavily involved in, I take my time. But I try not to put too much pressure on it. I am music, so music’s gonna come to me regardless. I don’t even stress about it no more.”

It seems like going with the flow is Venna’s style both in his productions for other artists and for his own solo project, and judging by his recent success we don’t blame him. An artist full of originality and honest authenticity I’m sure this laid back and grateful attitude will take him a long way, and we here at MXDWN UK are all to happy to witness it.

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Many years we have toiled. Brutal winters and fearsome summers have passed. But on this day, this great day, we finally bestow onto you our new single. Alphabet is now out on all platforms, produced by James Ford, with video directed by the indomitable Tegen Williams. Link in bio. We’ll also be “playing” a “show” at Brixton Electric on 22nd of April 2021. Sign up to our totally virus free mailing list by next Wednesday at 10am to access presale tickets to this show and more. General tickets on sale Friday 18th September. More announcements to follow…

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Alphabet is the bands first new content since they covered the B-52’s Rock Lobster for Spotify Single back in 2018. They have been riding off the back of the success of their 2018 debut LP Songs of Praise, and quite rightly so. The album was a 10 track amalgamation of the old and new, obviously influenced by bands like The Fall and their contemporaries Fat White Family but with a humour and intelligence unique to them.

Stand out track One Rizla, previously released as a single in 2017, is a catchy tune with guitar licks as slick as the sweat on the band-members foreheads during live performances. Frontman Charlie Steen shouts down the mic ‘My voice ain’t the best you’ve heard// And you can choose to hate my words// But do I give a fuck’.

The anarchic sentiment expressed here is nothing new, we’ve heard it from The Clash, The Sex Pistols, and more recently bands like Fontaines D.C. and Warmduscher; but the lyrical wit of Shame sets them apart from the rest. On 2017 single Visa Vulture the band deliver an ironic ode to Theresa May with weepy sounding guitars and a slow rhythm reminiscent of an Elvis love song. This track actually got them a shout out from The Sun, who criticised them for ‘crudely insulting the PM’.

Also, Charlie Steen’s voice is actually pretty good. You can hear the softness in it on the last track of the debut EP: Angie. Angie is a romantic song filled with melodic guitar riffs. It is more U2 than the Ramones, showing the versatility of the band.

Their new song Alphabet is worth the wait, with angry guitar licks and fast percussion Shame remind us who they are and why we love them. ‘What you see is what you get’ shouts Charlie Steen, who actually features in the video along with the other band members.

The video was directed by Tegan Williams, who also directs music videos for West London band Babeheaven’s dreamy tunes. Inspired by ‘a series of surreal dreams’ that Steen had while writing the song, it is arresting and unforgettable; like the band itself.