Trading Math-Rock Screamers for Polished Heaviness

Song of the Day: “New York” by Marmozets

May 28, 2026

After an eight-year disappearance that left fans wondering if they’d ever hear from the Yorkshire alt-rock outfit again, Marmozets returned with CO.WAR.DICE. A pandemic, a marriage, and parenthood have passed since 2018’s Knowing What You Know Now, a span of time that usually results in a band quietly releasing an acoustic folk-pop record to signal they’ve grown up. Thankfully, Marmozets chose a different route. Stripped down to a leaner four-piece line-up, the band uses this album to prove that aging doesn’t necessarily mean slowing down—it just means channeling their energy to where it hits the hardest.

The record acts as a lesson in controlled release of energy, representing a massive leap in the band’s sonic evolution. Where their 2014 debut The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets relied on dizzying math-rock and screamed lyrics that felt like a musical panic attack, CO.WAR.DICE channels its energy into a structured, groove-heavy wallop. The youthful, scattershot aggression of their early twenties has matured into a focused weapon. There is still plenty of eccentric texture here—ranging from the spaghetti-western whistled intro of “A Kiss From A Mother” to the fragile acoustic detour of “Dandy”—but the band functions with a newly discovered stability.

Among an impressive tracklist of high-velocity anthems, the second track, “New York,” rises above the rest as a pure distillation of their new ethos (although “like Last Night” comes a close second). Lyrically, the track relies on nostalgic storytelling, looking back a decade to when the band was whisked away to the United States to sign their first major international record deal. The main guitar riff is dialed in with so much massive, buzzing fuzz that it intentionally blurs the line between a traditional guitar and a raw synthesizer. Frontwoman Becca Bottomley balances a sneering, sarcastic vocal performance with an infectious, hook-laden chorus that hits with instant momentum. It is danceable, gritty, and memorable. While the rest of the album spends time exploring newer, experimental directions, “New York” stands out because it takes everything Marmozets have always been good at—attitude, volume, and melody—and delivers it flawlessly in a concise three-and-a-half minutes.