Gigwise editor Shannon Cotton on Honey Lung’s Complete
There’s always an air of anticipation when you meet someone in the smoking area at a gig and they tell you “I’m in a band”, but I will never forget pressing play on Honey Lung after meeting vocalist and guitarist Jamie Batten in that exact setting on Holloway Road a little over two years ago.
The London-based four-piece create fuzzy, grunge with slacker sensibilities that thrash for the most part, but are mellow and melancholic, too. Heartfelt lyrics juxtaposed with scuzzy guitars and percussion make for a fully immersive experience. It’s impossible to ignore the ’90s Sub Pop influences, but elements such as the industrial samples that envelop the breakdown of Export The Family illustrate an innovative streak.
They’ve already headlined the BBC Introducing stage at Reading & Leeds in 2017, and a trip to SXSW is approaching. Latest release Complete appears to be the product of Jamie’s recent trip to Berlin, where he reportedly wrote a “triple break-up album.”
“Just off to fall in love,” he sings, over a riff that grows into a rip-roaring crescendo. It leaves a sweet taste, but an even sweeter urge to hear more.
