Larkins

Manchester-based Larkins recently put out a re-release of their single, “Are We Having Any Fun Yet” via Gold Soldier. It was originally on their 2019 live album, recorded at the Albert Hall in Manchester. Now, the echoing vocal and pacing synths have been taken to the studio to once again unfold a double-edged tale of the monotony and exhaustion of everyday life and the chaos that can rise from it. The track was written in collaboration with L.A.-based Dan Nigro (who has also worked with Caroline Polachek and Conan Gray). Traces of L.A.'s synthy soundscape pepper Larkins' signature Manchester arena pop. The result is a perfect contradiction of brooding and lively, lonely, and lifted-up.

When asked about the inspiration behind “Are We Having Any Fun Yet,” Larkins lead singer Josh Noble explained, “AWHAFY? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself forever, I guess. I’d never written something so personal, and so quickly, it kinda just came out. I’d been on the London underground on the morning that I’d started writing it and basically a couple opposite me were arguing and shouting at each other. It was just as the Brexit vote was concluding in Britain, so the atmosphere amongst everyone was horrible. As the tube pulled away from the platform, the rails screeched, and the couple instantly couldn’t hear each other, so they simply had no other choice but to wait for the noise to stop. When it did, they just sat in silence. I kinda felt like it gave some well-needed perspective. From that point, the narrative of the song just continued into modern life.”

Larkins is currently made up of Josh Noble (vocals & guitar), Dom Want (guitar), Henry Beach (bass) and Joe Gaskell (drums). Born and raised in Glossop, Josh and Dom began playing music together at school. The band started to blossom when they started studying at college together, sneaking into the college studio after hours to record what they had written in English class. Henry (bass and synths) and Joe (drums) later joined the band, bringing variety with their funk and rock influences and Larkins were finally able to create a sound that they had pictured in their heads.

The quartet were supposed to currently be on their biggest UK tour yet (and they recently had to return prematurely from a run of North American shows). Though the current pandemic had canceled those plans, they are still rehearsing for the tour, with hopes to move it online in some capacity, preferably fully plugged in just like a real show.

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