Long Read // DEADLETTER- Bruising but beautiful
Bruising but beautiful: DEADLETTER’s Alfie and George sit down with us to talk about their upcoming debut ‘Hysterical Strength’.
Encapsulating the true stance of poetic art-punk, the heedy trio of DEADLETTER hailing from Yorkshire are a true force to be reckoned with. Projecting the volatile with the beautiful, DEADLETTER's debut of Hysterial Strength comes off the back of Heat! in 2022, a hot-tempered EP earmarked with the promise of Binge, a jilted soundtrack over life's many overindulgences.
Now, set across twelve mighty tracks, comes their most concrete and complete project to date.
So earlier this week, we met up with drummer Alfie Husband and bassist George Ullyott from the band over Zoom to talk as we await the release for their eagerly-anticipated debut after an extremely busy Summer stint including Croatia's Zegreb and Belgium's own Rock Werchter.
For the trio, it's been a long time coming getting a first fully-fledged record out to the world, despite only having it finished eight months ago. "Yeah I mean, so we've only actually had one EP but we've done a fair few singles along the way," George explained, "DEADLETTER has been writing music since 2019 and first released in 2020, so its been quite a journey." While the journey of DEADLETTER began more recently, the bare bones of the set-up have been in place for years. "Me, George and Zac.. I mean I've known Zac since I was born basically, my friend for a long time," Alfie noted. "And met George when we were 12, starting playing music together 13,14. So we've been playing music together for 11 years now." Spurred on by their uniquity to sound, childhood friends graduated from busking around Yorkshire town centres in their early teens, before moving down to South London prompting the necessity to knuckle down and really perfect their craft.
Soon after experimentation, further additions bound the group we see today. "Then we met Will (guitar) when we moved to London when we were like 18. Then we met Poppy (saxophone) in like, 2021. Then Sam, (guitar) we probably met in 2019 but came in a bit later when we were in dire need." The full force of DEADLETTER was complete, with the angular guitars and smoky saxophone fitting within the post-punk circles; adorned by Zach's politically-charged lyrics of nuance.
Of course, with such exploratory art-punk at the helm, it's always a wonder how such a amalgamation of ideas are toyed and tussled with and if any one solid sound is set or if any particular bands are on the minds or merely as after-thoughts. "I don't think we ever kind of [thought of that] ... we don't often sit together in a group anyway unless we're touring," George expands. "We discuss what music we're into but we've never aimed for anything. It's always quite natural when you're not aiming for anything specific."
"We all have our own input, we've always had different tastes in music but we've always found common ground somewhere," Alfie chips in. "We are best mates so it's quite easy to just trust each other and come up with something unique ... well that's what you hope for anyway."
It's this immediate translating of energy to tape is what makes DEADLETTER stand-out candidates for creating such raw and electric pieces of work. Their work to date has seen them revel in their ability to stare into the darkness and come out with something starkly beautiful. This is easily noted throughout Hysterical Strength. "Yeah, there's definitely moments of beauty in the melody, especially in some of Zach's melodies in some of the songs," George was inclined to agree when asked. "I guess Practice [Whilst You Preach] stands out to me and the saxophone, guitar and flute in Deus Ex [Machina], there's some beauty in there aswell. Zach always says "juxtaposition" and it's always a good way to describe a lot of ways and I think it really fits particular in Deus Ex. The verse to the chorus is a complete change-up, but I don't that's ever been a deliberate thing, I suppose it gives it a lot of impact." Both Deus Ex and Practice Whilst You Preach... show off a band comfortable to flex and stretch the capabilities of their sound, as Zach's discourse - more refined than ever - is backed by a mighty soundscape not too dissimilar to Black Country, New Road's MO.
Third on record run-down and second release as a single, Mother crops up in conversation a lot as a stand-out, an aching track which dives into the lengths we go to protect our most beloved. "I just love Zach's melodies on Mother especially, I love the way it builds - just the way it moves and sways," notes Alfie. "And then the bass is always flawless, I mean everyone's always flawless." This highly esteemed iteration of smoky alternative delves from the painful landscape of bereavement in Mere Mortal, to the bliss of escape in Relieved and all matters in-between. It's this depth of exploration that make DEADLETTER's work far more hard-hitting in impact.
Comparative to some of their older works, it's fair to say that this album is far more groove-inspired with an option to dance very much on the cards. "I'm just trying to emulate like a mood and not change the groove too much. I mean Mother, it's got a few fills in there but like Bygones is just a very solid groove that doesn't really change. Like that itself is very danceable because you can just kind of lock in on the dancefloor to the beat. It doesn't have to be complicated, it's just gotta have a vibe to it." The moody Bygones is certainly one that brews an atmosphere, which is a real testament to the magic these lot are broiling - both in the studio and live on a stage.
Bound together by recognition for their frenetic energy on stage, the group haven't been one to be shut away in a studio for weeks on end either, as they opt for every opportunity to see themselves on the road. Undoubtedly so, the relentless touring schedule has fostered a reputation one of the most frenetic bands to watch on the live circuit in the UK, as they garner a wider, frenzied communion. For a band on the brink of their debut record, it's finding that perfect balance between grinding on tour and working through the 9 to 5. "It has always felt worth it, I think that's the point. I think since we starting playing it's always been worth it to work and play when we can," says George. "We'll just be tired for a while, it's fine," Alfie notes. Worst things have happened than a load of tired people playing music."
And so it goes, the band begin their tumultuous tour with a string of in-stores upon the week of the debuts' release before kicking things off in Ireland on the 26th of September. Then, they embark out on the roads until November 16th where they finish in London at Electric Brixton. With dates in Limerick, Glasgow and Belfast tipped as favourites - not to mention a coming-of-age show outside Whitby Bookshop where they used to busk - the tour will see the band stretch to every corner and crevice Europe has to offer, where they happen to have such an expansive following. "Yeah, the Dutch. The Dutch love us apparently, which is quite fun. Big audience, they're good. The UK aswell is still great but it is kinda crazy when you go to the Netherlands."
The band receiving critics' praise and lauded from the likes of Dork and NME so early on is a sure-sign of things going extremely well for the now-South Londoners. But while their music has been well received from critics and fans alike, it still comes with its surprises, especially when you're out touring across Europe. "I mean for sure, in Bulgaria this week and some lady knew the words and we were like how do you know that? But you know music spreads a long way. Who knows where people are listening to the nichest music? Probably somewhere in the Antartica someone is listening to fucking Chet Baker right now on some weird signal."
A feral confrontation one way, a beautiful landscape of hope the other - DEADLETTER's impasse to the disorder of modern life is one of intrigue here, and with its jolted art-punk delivery of epic proportion, it's not really like anything else we've come across before.
The debut, Hystercial Strength is out on the 17th September via SO Recordings.
Feature by Alex Curle
