W. H. Lung

Mancunian synth pop outfit W.H.Lung decided to try something new on their third album Every Inch of Earth Pulsates, in order to capture the energy, spirit and dynamism of their live shows. Something that has become paramount to the group in recent years as they have undeniably blossomed into one of the most joyous and arresting live bands in the country. 

They relocated to Sheffield to work for the first time with Ross Orton (MIA, Arctic Monkeys, Working Men’s Club), who was able to harness this side of the band to remarkable effect. “Ross is the Sheffield Steve Albini,” says singer Joseph Evans. “He’s the king of not overthinking it and trusting the process of the art of recording songs. He was always there to stop us fucking around with cerebral stuff and get it down.” guitarist Tom Sharkett echoes this too: “He was the exact producer we needed without us even realising. His productions and mixes are bombastic, lively and in your face. He brought a real dose of magic to the songs we’d written."

While this album, which follows Incidental Music (2019) and Vanities (2021), is rooted in a sense of capturing a moment and a sparky liveness, that’s not to say it’s a raw or ragged record. It is still a meticulously composed, delicately layered and pristinely produced piece of work that, in true W.H. Lung style, runs the gauntlet from dance to pop to indie while still capturing that distinctly unique quality that is unquestionably their own. It’s a significant leap forward, expanding on their solid foundations while also breaking new ground. “The big difference with this record is its directness in every sense,” says Sharkett.

This new found candour is perfectly encapsulated in lead single ‘How to Walk’, a song constructed with one thing only in mind: that it would absolutely slay on stage. “I can’t wait to play this live,” says Evans. “We wanted a song to represent our live set, a new big one, and this is it.” Once again it leans towards the anthemic, with its driving, propulsive charge complete with incandescent synths and vocal melodies so irresistible you can already hear them being sung in unison by a crowd. 

“The reason I’m in a band is to play live music,” says Evans, whose wild movement on stage makes him one of the most enigmatic front persons around. “For me, music is live music. That’s what it’s for, to be played with people.”