Ulrika Spacek Share New Single 'Full Of Men'

With their new LP set for release June 2nd via Tough Love Records, London-based five-piece Ulrika Spacek share new single 'Full of Men'. Speaking about the new track, the band said “Writing 'Full of Men' came at an important time writing our second record. It was one of those songs that we knew quite quickly would characterise the second record, it pins a particular era for us. Lyrically it's quite aggressive for us. Sometimes I feel this world is just so full of men'.”

Much like their debut LP The Album Paranoia released in early 2016, the band chose to record, produce and mix the entirety of the record of Modern English Decoration in their shared house – a former art gallery called ‘KEN’, so named because of a cryptic inscription found above the front door. Not just a studio and home, KEN is essentially the band’s hub, a space in which the surrounding ephemera of videos, artwork and even band photos are all created.

The relatively short amount of time between their first and second albums is testament to the band’s self-contained creative environment and the productivity it encourages. There’s a tendency to label this degree of self-reliant creativity ‘DIY’ - and the band do certainly feel emboldened by that ethos - yet to consider Modern English Decoration solely in these terms is a disservice. Their craft is considered and purposeful, the means of its production reflecting the band’s overall vision rather than the value system of an often haphazard and accidental DIY culture.

Shirking the temptations to write ten three-minute singles, a more open and expansive style is preferred. Writing and arranging as they go, the intention is to let the material find its own place in the set, all the while retaining a sense of direction that avoids the pitfalls of self-indulgence. Modern English Decoration is, in part, a self-effacing play on an interior design cliché that references the meticulous creative processes the band adheres to. There’s also a nod towards the environment in which it was created – a Victorian house turned art gallery turned home studio. "This record was made in various rooms in our house, predominantly in the living room. Every part of the album reflects this, from the title to the setting of the lyrics. Doing everything ourselves is not just necessary: it’s important to us, as it allows us to truly create our own world”. While there’s an element of domesticity to the album’s creation, the themes that drive the songs are anything but, reflecting an all-too-common sense of mid-twenties alienation and anxiety, alongside the comforts/burdens of self-awareness.

Listen to 'Full of Men' here

After recently supporting Slowdive on several UK dates, Ulrika Spacek will be playing the following shows:

April

28th - Newcastle Upon Tyne - Hit The North Festival

29th - Portsmouth - Portsmouth Psych Fest

30th - Liverpool - Festevol

May

16th - Brussels, Belgium - Les Nuits Botanique at the Rotonde

June

2nd - Oxford - O2 Academy supporting Slowdive

6th - Nottingham - Rough Trade shop instore

8th - Bristol - Rise Music instore

14th - London - The Lexington

August

4th - Katowice, Poland - OFF Festival

20th - Stirlingshire, Scotland - Doune The Rabbit Hole Festival