Declan McKenna - Zeros
If Declan Mckenna really is ‘the voice of his generation’, it stands to reason that his latest album, ‘Zeros’, would capture the current, conflicted disillusionment of the UK’s youth. There’s a woozy, self aware escapism to ‘Zeros’; it showcases a tortured kind of optimism, the kind that can only exist alongside the dread-inducing prospect of life under late capitalism.
Many of the songs present a swelling, tragic glamour; Bowie fans will particularly enjoy this influence in 'Born to be an Astronaut', ‘The Key to Life on Earth’ and 'Daniel You're Still a Child'. The glam rock infused album nods (both aesthetically and musically) to the context of the UK’s past, whilst turning it’s lyrical gaze towards a dystopian, mysticisedfuture of flooded worlds and über billionaires.
Mckenna weaves lyrical and aural stories across time, expanding upon the spoken word lamentations of 2017’s 'Listen to Your Friends' - Whilst this song, a previous McKenna standout, succinctly presents his take on modern-day British inequality, ‘Zeros’ transposes these same concerns and injustices over a synth-laden backdrop of seventies’ era disillusionment, civil disruption and economic disparity. This is clear in the tongue-in-cheek wordplay and downbeat cynicism of ‘Rapture’ - an anti-love letter to Thatcher’s reign of austerity, accompanied by squealing electric guitar and synth. Contrast this with ‘Beautiful Faces’ - the instant hit presents a woozy, reverb-drenched escape into the allure of attraction, excess and pre-lockdown nightlife. It’s the kind of album that makes you want to join a revolution, sob with your friends and possibly compost a flag (it’s cleaner than burning).
9/10. Oh Declan. What are we to do?
