Originally written for and posted to Music Dash

If you found yourself pre-ordering Peace’s Happy People earlier this year, and ever since have had a particular penchant for upbeat indie pop, then ‘Lone Driver’ by Southern is an essential addition to your iTunes library. The track is underpinned by an unrelenting yet unobtrusive melody, with frontman Thom Southern drawling in a Koisser-esque manner: “feeeeeel what’s inside of you”. There’s some pretty funky distortion going on, which combines with poignant lyrics such as “I found myself in a pocket full of pain”, making for an emotionally wrought aural construction about exclusion and separation.

With song-writing duties split between them it is clear Lucy and Thom don’t only share genes, they share genius, too. Genius that is destined to be recognised in due course; whilst Southern have already played across the UK supporting the likes of Hudson Taylor and Jake Bugg, they are bound to be headlining their own shows before they know it.

With the tracks producer, Mark Rankin (think Queens of the Stone Age and Bombay Bicycle Club), also working on their upcoming album, no doubt ‘Lone Driver’ is merely a precursor to an impressive debut. One we can’t wait to hear.