King No-One make their return with heartfelt release, 'Obsolete'

King No-One are a York-based trio creating Alternative Pop tracks. Their new single, 'Obsolete', follows on from their previous release 'Bad Porno' which dropped in March.

Forming in 2013, the group fast made a name for themselves by busking their original tracks up and down the UK. Quickly gaining a following they have had a massive wave of sold-out shows, proving themselves to be one of the best up-and-coming live performers in the country.

King No-One take inspiration from a huge array of genres, decades, and artists, and a quick look on their social media cements that ‘Obsolete’ fuses “R&B and '90's grunge”. While these seem a more unusual choice for the group, it goes to demonstrate their desire to never become shoehorned into any genre or category despite current ‘rock’ labels being seen scattered through reviews. 

'Obsolete’ opens with distorted whispered vocals and gentle piano, before slowing down and becoming a very pop-style track with an upbeat rhythm that makes me desperate for live music to resume. 

Although known for their catchiness, their lyrics are always powerful. Characterised by one of their first singles, ‘Antichrist’, the group immediately declared themselves as activists promoting the idea that regardless of sexuality, skin colour, or gender; everyone is important. Always using their music to discuss these issues, ‘Obsolete’ is no different. The outfit further utilised Instagram to explain that the track is “About the pursuit of hedonism to mask the shame that depression can leave you with”.

This idea is characterised by the chorus which features the line, “I’m losing my mind again”, presenting the speaker's frustrations with “again” exaggerating the consistency of this emotion. However, the track manages to also maintain a passion for fighting their mental health issues as opposed to becoming complacent with them through lyrics, such as, “I’m putting on my boots”.

With upcoming solo shows around Milton Keynes, Stockton, and Blackpool, Zach Lount (lead singer) has been making waves ready for live shows to begin in Summer. (Hopefully!)

Emily Duff

@emily.j.d & @emilyduffjourno

Image: Rupert Gruber