Their new song “Wild Guess” is not afraid to experiment: synth music, guitar, rhythmic beats and soft vocals are married together to produce an irresistibly catchy rhythm. At points, the amalgamation of different sounds will be almost cacophonical, but the band manages to make it all work perfectly together and create a very rich musical universe. Clapping, maracas, whistles, soft percussions, choruses and synthetics give rhythm to the main singing voices, a male/female duo that harmonises together beautifully. I challenge anyone to try not to dance along, I guarantee that it will be extremely difficult.

But don’t get fooled by the cheerful rhythm, as the lyrics are drastically more bitter. The band reportedly wanted to give voice to the shared fears of young generations by exploring their own various anxieties. They ask us the enigmatic question “In what way do you suffer?”, giving for granted that we are in fact suffering, and inciting us to name our fears. They talk about the fear of old age, of life passing you by, of financial responsibility and phone addiction, and create a parallelism with ecological catastrophes, thus echoing a lingering ecological anxiety: “Like a river full of dirt, I’m hurt, has we burn”. The tonal contrast between the lyrics and the rhythm creates a bittersweet ironical tone: after all, it is better to sing about your problems than cry about them.

Home Counties are the voice of a generation, and what a harmonious voice that is. Their full EP “Exactly as it seems” comes out on the 3rd of May 2024, and they will be touring in the UK from the 7th of May onwards. This marks their comeback after a couple years off the radar, and the band is clearly fresh of new ideas and creative inspiration. Give them a look if you want something to brighten up your winter playlist, and keep up with their newest updates on their Instagram @homecountiesband.