Hunger by Morning Smoke (Single)

Morning Smoke, not all gloom and doom – sometimes they drink coffee and sit next to bicycles

You might mistake Morning Smoke for an act drenched in misery, but their thunderous approach is too catchy for wallowing

K act Morning Smoke have been racking up the plaudits among the alternative press for their angst ridden alt-pop, and their new single Hunger does serves only to enhance this smouldering hype.

Opening with a combination of riffs and melodies akin to a Nirvana practice session held in a tomb, the track quickly settles into the sort of taught and claustrophobic atmosphere that Joy Division specialised in. The chorus then kicks in with a rift that sounds like The Cure upped sticks to Seattle in 1992, bringing Peter Steele along for the ride; the cacophony is sweet and the dismay aggressive.

Hunger is a wonderfully gloomy and doomy slice of gothic grunge-pop, and offers a fresh take on the legion of acts that are seeking to unite the more despairing elements of 80s and 90s indie. For anyone who’s heard the group’s other tracks, it serves as a ringing endorsement of their potential, and for those yet to experience them, this is a track to confirm that the smoke surrounding their hype is not without fire.

Verdict: Moody and thundering alt-pop

Damien Girling

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