Reputation

London-based, rising indie-electronic outfit The Utopiates return with a quick follow-up to the Steve Lamacq-endorsed ‘Neighbourhood’. Their new single ‘Reputation’ is the second single to be taken from the, as-of-yet, unnamed second album set for release in late 2025.

Following on from the recent success of their debut album ‘The Sun Also Rises’ (released in May ‘23, V2 Records) The Utopiates are out to prove they are one of the most prolific new bands out there at the minute. They’ve spent the first part of 2024 recording and mixing 11 brand new tracks at The Nave in Leeds (Yard Act, Kaiser Chiefs).

They hit the ground running with the last single (20th September release) which secured a prime-time BBC Radio 6 play by the legend Steve Lamacq, an XS Manchester playlisting and record streams upon it’s release. They’re about to now take this one step further with the danceable indie-disco track ‘Reputation’.

Singer, Dan, says of the new song:

“I wrote this song while in a typically immature sulk with my girlfriend. It’s about always having the same arguments with your significant other and losing your cool but also knowing you’ll always come crawling back for forgiveness. Even if you might have had a point!

“‘Reputation’ showcases that simpler, stripped-back groove we’re aiming for now in all its glory. Credit to Joe and Luke (drummer/bassist) for really giving that rhythm section a massive kick up the arse from the demo I’d put down originally. We laid that bare, added some disco synths and off-beat guitar stabs and ran with it. It came together rapid, like all the good ones do. And we loved it immediately. It’s such a groovy stomper and we reckon people will definitely wanna move to it.“

Of the second-album project, as a whole, he says:

“We’ve always been a band that likes to mix it up and look to loads of different influences in the music we write. Since our inception (in 2021) we’ve been labelled New Wave, Baggy, 90s Revival and even (New) Nu-Rave! Our mantra has always been ‘let’s make people move’ and that won’t change. We’re sticking with the ‘big-guitar groove’ label Steve Lamacq gave us but this time around we’re looking a little more in the direction of New York over Manchester.“

2024 tour dates are below:

5th December – The Brudenell, Leeds *in support of The Crooks

6th December – Jacaranda Baltic *in support of The Crooks