Suede – Disintegrate Review

A truly out-there, haunted sound is what Suede has been crafting over the last half-decade. Autofiction was their first leap into this new noise, and it worked brilliantly. It recontextualises the classics but brings with it a fresh sensation for the band, which has managed to separate itself from the hits. Part of it is the endearing, ongoing conviction of their performances, another is the desire to kindle a creative spirit and allow its direction to form naturally. It has brought Suede into a post-punk format. Minimalist music videos, matching black clothes and a tinge of gothic formation to their image. Their sound, too, has evolved. Disintegrate, the lead single of the upcoming album Antidepressants, is an outstanding release. Where Autofiction offered a tinge of autobiographical charm, Disintegrate has the band use a fundamental punk energy to throw themselves, wildly yet confidently, at the bleak world around us. 

Disintegrate profiles the band as a still-burning creative force. Frontman Brett Anderson still holds firm as a fantastic lyricist and exciting performer. He is the catalyst for this song, keeping the instrumental thrills in check, giving the lyrics a chance to breathe under the lighter spots which feature. But the percussion, which overwhelms those moments, with Mat Osman and Simon Gilbert slapping and hitting away at their bass and drum kit respectively, is sensational. Disintegrate finds a balance which is a continuation of the alternative, punk rock-like sound of Autofiction. This lead single from Antidepressants is more than a continuation of mood, though, it offers Suede listeners old and new a side to the band we have not quite seen before. A call for chaos is heard in those desires to disintegrate, to give in to whatever passion has taken hold of your mind. Those haunting echoes heard at the start, the “connected” and “disconnected” add a wonderful context to the switched-off brain.  

We cannot expect ourselves to be rooted in the real world on a full-time basis. Letting the mind drift, allowing for the disintegration Anderson sings of, is only natural. Disintegrate hammers that feeling home with a catchy thrill ride, a song which cements what Suede are all about. If you are to fall to pieces, then it is best to do it with company, like a neglected wall near a garden shed. Suede pride themselves, and rightly so, on their ability to comment on the microscopic, to amplify those everyday passions into stage-ready stormers. Such is the case for Disintegrate, an expectedly ambitious project which roars on through. Whirring electronics, the hammer of drum, bass and guitar to open this new song, the limitless read Anderson has for the world, it all comes together brilliantly here.  

Yet another impressive moment from Suede. Their ongoing crawl towards demented, lived-in experiences of total collapse not only provides good stock for their studio work but feels genuine. They are the lift of escapism needed for the horrors of the modern world. Disintegrate is not giving in to the pangs of misery brought on by the current political and social climate. There is a carefree nature to Disintegrate, one which asks the listener to hold firm, to be malleable as the onslaught continues. Disconnect, connect, disconnect again. It gets tough, and Suede knows it. Sharp wordplay, thrilling instrumental work, it all blurs together as expected of a band of this calibre. Quality assured once more. Richard Oakes’ guitar work punctuates those calls for decay. Be it in nature or nurture, disintegration is happening.