Across the course of a decade, it is easy for a band to settle into a groove, especially once they taste success with a certain formula. Fortunately, Black Honey just don’t get that way of thinking. Led by Izzy B. Phillips, the Brighton quartet have spent the past 11 years making dents in the charts and playing big shows while still steadfastly doing things on their own terms.
On their fourth album ‘Soak’, they have once again undergone a seismic shift, this time prompted by changes in Phillips’ personal life that have resulted in a sense of self-acceptance and unerring ambition. The resulting songs offer a dichotomy of upbeat festival tunes and introspective lyrics that challenge the listener and artist all at once.
‘Soak’ is an album that is teeming with emotion and personal grievances, making it Black Honey’s most potent project to date.
“Disassociation is a part time occupation,” Phillips sings sweetly over Dead’s dreamy backing, leaning towards shoegaze before a massive singalong chorus: “You can’t kill me now / ‘cuz I’m already dead for you.”
All spangly instrumentation and earworm hooks, Psycho allows the band to flex their indie hitmaker pedigree over a timeless bed of synths and guitars. Carroll Avenue, meanwhile, lets them fly their freak flag, sounding like something that belongs in the video game American McGee’s Alice. The title track gets grimy and grungey to cap a compelling run.
Later, they deliver one of their finest ensemble performances to date with Vampire In The Kitchen: a tragic love song that unfurls into a raucous breakdown that is exhilarating in both its blunt force and technicality. Guitarist Chris Ostler shreds a wicked solo, while drummer Alex Woodward does his best to dismantle his kit as bassist Tommy Taylor unleashes rhythmic hell.
Closing with the cinematic Medication, ‘Soak’ is Black Honey at their very best. Though they may hop from subgenre to subgenre, the thread throughout is their willingness to be open and free within the confines of music that they play, and that’s a stunning thing to behold. Black Honey deserve the big time, and this could very well be the album to open those stage doors.
Black Honey Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Wed February 18 2026 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy 2 Birmingham
Thu February 19 2026 - DUBLIN Whelans
Sat February 21 2026 - GLASGOW Garage
Sun February 22 2026 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE THE GROVE
Tue February 24 2026 - NORWICH Arts Centre
Wed February 25 2026 - LONDON Village Underground
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