Brighton’s Black Honey have today unleashed the brooding, gothic majesty of their new single, ‘Insulin,’ a tantalising glimpse into their upcoming album, Soak, slated for release on August 15th. A potent fusion of frontwoman Izzy B. Phillips’ raw, stream-of-consciousness lyricism and the band’s signature grunge-infused power, ‘Insulin’ stands as a towering anthem of inner turmoil and chemical imbalance.
For their forthcoming album, Phillips prioritised genuine emotion and resonance over pristine technicality, a spirit that deeply informed the creation of ‘Insulin.’ The often-polemical stance of their previous work gives way here to an exploration of nuanced complexities and grey areas. While the track delves into harrowing personal experiences of sexual assault, it is rendered in an instinctive, free-flowing style. Intriguingly, the central phrase, “You’re fucking with my insulin,” initially served as a temporary placeholder. It was only later that Phillips recognised the profound metaphorical resonance of insulin, mirroring the way emotional dysregulation can seize control of our internal systems.
Of the track, Phillips states,
For ‘Insulin’ I wanted to explore tension, romantic dysregulation and the idea of being out of balance in your mind and body chemicals. I thought the word “insulin” wasn’t actually right when it first fell out of my head – maybe I was thinking more about serotonin at the time – but then found out it’s a hormone we all have that regulates your blood sugar and is directly affected by your emotional wellbeing. It was kind of accidentally accurate so I kept it.
Black Honey have carved a distinctive niche within the alt-rock and dark-pop landscape, consistently cutting through the noise with each release and defiantly forging their own artistic path, captivating sold-out audiences across the globe. Their self-titled debut album arrived in 2018, followed by Written & Directed in 2021 and their most recent offering, A Fistful of Peaches, in 2023. As a new chapter in the unfolding Black Honey saga begins, it promises to be an intense and compelling journey. Alongside their upcoming performance at DORK’s 100 Festival on July 15th, the band has announced a UK album release tour, details of which can be found below.
