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The North – Trainspotting
We review the single ‘Trainspotting’ by Leeds band The North.
Leeds outfit The North recently released ‘Trainspotting’, the last single from their upcoming debut EP.
It’s been seven months since they released their scene-shifting debut single ‘Soundtrack Your Soul’. It seems fitting that they open this with a grunge-tinged vocal howl of “nostalgia”, leading to climatic roars of “soundtrack your soul” in the close.
Memphis and lead guitarist Kobi Griggs’ guitars tonally tap into the poignancy of early Coldplay and the forlorn joyfulness of Electric Soft Parade. These, alongside introspective lyrics, could easily have allowed classic indie morbidity to unfurl. However, buoyancy and directness at play have the hallmarks of a great coming-of-age story.
The guitars punch with a knowingness that it’s now or never. Where ‘How Soon Is Now?’ swelled with angst and failure, ‘Trainspotting’ balloons with hope and promise of what is yet to come. Lyrically, Memphis tempers this with the protagonist searching for their place in the world a la Egg in This Life:
“nothing you can do boy / feels slightly blue ‘cos / you can’t go back in time”
The North’s debut EP ‘Blood Orange’ is out now and is not to be missed.
The North – Blood Orange
We review the new single from Leeds band The North.
Leeds four-piece The North are back with their new single ‘Blood Orange’.
Soundtrack Your Soul put 2025 on notice with its electrifying guitars and raucous attitude. ‘Blood Orange’ is the antithesis of this. It is measured, downbeat, but no less evocative. At the heart of this creative expansion is Billy Memphis’ vocal. He pivots from Kele Okereke’s hushed indie soul to the early laconic drawl of Jonny Borrell, allowing the agonising confusion of the lyrics to swell.
Memphis’ guitars overlap each other with a masterful precision. As he sings, “I go round and round and round...” his licks howl in every direction, searching for a way out of the mental torture they emanated from.
Memphis and Co have displayed songwriting ability way beyond their years here. Two singles deep and they’ve shown they cut loose and turn inwards. The future is bright; the future is blood orange.