Leeds’ premier purveyors of infectious indie-pop, MARSICANS, unveil their latest single, WAKE UP FREYA, showcasing a more sensitive side to their harmony laden sound. The arena-sized hooks and trademark joyful warmth remain, aided and abetted by emotional reflection on the part of lead singer James Newbigging. Whereas previous singles FRIENDS and THROW OURSELVES IN were invigorating in their hyperactivity, WAKE UP FREYA revels in slowing the pace down and watching the world spin around, removed from its chaotic speed. It’s quite possibly MARSICANS’ most personal song to date.
“I wrote the song for my niece before she was born,” says Newbigging. “My brother mentioned she might be called Freya so, after I wrote the song, they kind of had to name her that! It was a particularly bad news day and I started thinking about how amazing the world is when you’re young, compared to how messed up everything seems to be when you’re older. The song was written as if I was talking to her. It’s about taking stock of everything that’s good around you, and how eventually it’s those people and those moments that count, rather than all the perpetual shit that surrounds you.”
It perhaps makes sense for MARSICANS to chill out and take stock for a moment, after such a whirlwind 2017. They signed to Manchester’s Lab Records, clocking well over one million streaming figures on Spotify; took in tours with JAWS, CLEAN CUT KID and HIPPO CAMPUS, as well as their own headline jaunts around the UK getting bigger each time in venue size and profile; were playlisted on BBC Radio 1; were shared online by Coldplay; played to packed rooms at Live at Leeds, Manchester’s Dot to Dot and Brighton’s Great Escape; and to huge audiences at half a dozen UK Festivals including Leeds Festival.
Marked as one of tastemaker extraordinaire Huw Stephens’ Tips For 2018, MARSICANS are upping the stakes again with their biggest headline tour to date in March. The band continue to push the boat out in terms of their sound and scale of ambition, and WAKE UP FREYA is a subtle and confident statement.
MARCH
Thu 01 BIRMINGHAM Sunflower Lounge
Fri 02 LONDON Borderline
Sat 03 BRISTOL Louisiana
Wed 07 GLASGOW Garage Attic
Thu 08 MANCHESTER Deaf Institute
Sat 10 LEEDS Church
