It could be self-indulgent or self-pitying, but it’s not. Never one to shy away from talking about serious or deeply personal problems (just go read any interview with Matty), ‘UGH!’ details the frontman’s struggles with cocaine. It’s him taking the piss out of the world and himself, while his bandmates show off licks inspired by ‘Fame’-era Bowie and INXS. Matty says it was inspired by him strutting around on stage with his shirt undone, arms outstretched, with hordes of teenage girls screaming up at him. The first song to be revealed from the album is a “post-ironic” comment on selfie culture and the 21st century’s vacuous obsession with celebrity. That’s nothing compared to what follows, though… 2. Even with the song’s bitesize length, Matty still finds time to play around and try to confuse, switching words around so you get lyrics like “playing with the air/Breathing in your hair”. Matty’s left singing, backed by a choir whose intrinsic purpose seems to be making him sound like he’s surrounded by a glistening halo of light. This minute-and-a-half self-titled track is what you might call a gentle intro to the bizarre and baffling world of ‘I Like It When You Sleep…’ – shimmering sounds fade into focus before halting abruptly. The 17 tracks’ 75 minutes are no easy listen, but the album is hugely eclectic – there’s everything from semi-rapping to post-rock instrumentals and acoustic tearjerkers. But the whole album – ludicrously titled ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’ – will make you think and reassess even more than that song did.
Who would have guessed that an early frontrunner for 2016’s most unpredictable album would be by The 1975? When lead single ‘Love Me’ was unveiled late last year, it challenged all preconceptions about the band led by Matty Healy.