Leeds-based collective HONESTY have released their debut album, ‘U R HERE’, via Partisan Records.
HONESTY’s debut album, ‘U R HERE’, is a fluid, exhilarating, and uniquely introspective take on club music – sonically mapping the psychological impact of the modern age and harnessing the vitality and freedom that comes with new beginnings. With influences that range from Mount Kimbie and My Bloody Valentine to Björk and Burial, ‘U R HERE’ represents a renewed sense of creative expression amidst a world that can sometimes seem like it’s crumbling apart.
HONESTY is not a band in the traditional sense. With four core members – George Mitchell, Matt Peel, Josh Lewis and Imi Marston – and a rotating cast of collaborators which have included musicians and visual artists like Kosi Tydes, Softlizard, Rarelyalways, Florence Shaw, and Liam Bailey, the Leeds-based collective emerged as an exercise in doing things differently on a journey towards self-acceptance.
Based in Matt’s Leeds studio The Nave, HONESTY became friends through making music, hanging out their way to a sound that they still can’t put their collective fingers on. “That’s what scares me a little bit,” Matt reflects. “Each of the tunes has been birthed in a really different way, which is dead exciting, but sometimes it’s like, what if we wanted to do that again?” Fortunate then that no part of HONESTY is about doing the same thing twice.
Although they’re not Leeds natives, it’s clear the Yorkshire city’s resistance to being boxed has influenced their own. “Leeds has always been a weird melting pot of different music,” George explains, “You’ve got sound clash culture, you’ve got Back to Basics house music, and then Sisters of Mercy, goth and all the post-punk stuff that happened here. You can’t really put it down to one thing, and I guess we’re just a part of that.”
And while their sound may not be rinse-and-repeat, it’s also not feral. One analogy is that of passing the aux cable at a house party, but despite moments of euphoria the music is often darker and more introspective than would get you a gig as a DJ. Instead, they describe it like club music with song-structure, bringing in guest vocalists Liam Bailey, Kosi Tides, LizaViolet and Katie Drew on their debut album ‘U R HERE’ to add an individual spark to each production. The glue, more often than not, is granular synthesis.
The past 12 months have seen HONESTY build a foundational audience through the release of their first EP, ‘WHERE R U’, the experimental mixtape ‘BOX’ and a number of singles from the debut album. Released on Partisan Records on 7 February 2025, ‘U R HERE’ represents the culmination of three years of studio play and, although they’d cringe at the term, a degree of collective self-discovery.
*****
HONESTY have earned plaudits from key indie voices, including The Needle Drop, a mention from The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis and further praise from Mixmag, Rolling Stone, Crack, NME and Brooklyn Vegan. Radio plays have come from BBC 6 Music & Apple Music 1, alongside significant support from BBC Introducing. HONESTY performed a live session for BBC Introducing, which was broadcast in early January on BBC Introducing Leeds and Sheffield. The group were also interviewed on the BBC 6 Music Introducing show, with a track from the live session played on the station.
HONESTY’s mesmerising live A/V show has been a notable driver of the band’s success to date. Their multi-layered visuals and accomplished live set up fully realises the texture and power of the recordings, leading Mixmag and Clash to highlight the group in their Best Sets of Eurosonic 2024 pieces.
Following the release of the new record, HONESTY will take their unique A/V show on the road with Bdrmm, on a run of support dates across the UK and Europe. Find the full list of UK dates and ticket links below.
*****
HONESTY UK LIVE DATES
6th March – Wylam Brewery, Newcastle (supporting Bdrmm)
7th March – The Welly, Hull (supporting Bdrmm)
8th March – Project House, Leeds (supporting Bdrmm)
11th March – Gorilla, Manchester (supporting Bdrmm)
12th March – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (supporting Bdrmm)
13th March – The Castle and Falcon, Birmingham (supporting Bdrmm)
19th March – Electric Ballroom, London (supporting Bdrmm)
All tickets available here.