Following a massive 2020 – which saw the release of their huge single Are We Having Any Fun Yet? – Manchester act Larkins are back with the epic new offering if + when.

The track builds from a fragile piano introduction, before sparse beats drive the song toward the anthemic release of its heartfelt chorus. The disarming lyrical honesty of singer Josh Noble shines through in his searingly real account of trying to pull a loved one back from the brink of self-destruction. All he can ultimately offer, he realises, is a promise: ‘I’ll be there, if + when it gets too rough’.

Starting out as frontman Josh Noble writing and recording the song on a laptop in his bedroom, the final form of if + when is co-produced by Nolan ‘Sir Nolan’ Lambroza (LANY, Alec Benjamin); with additional help from Michael Pollack (Justin Bieber, LAUV), this marriage of alternative energy and pop craft makes for an incandescent whole.

Speaking about the song, frontman Josh Noble explained: “This song is my apology. It’s me taking ownership and describing my failures as a friend. Around 6 months ago, during lockdown, I received a call to say someone I was close with had been missing for a few days and I was asked whether I knew their whereabouts. I had this horrible feeling that I would never see them again. After a night of searching, someone found them in a bad way in a place they should never have been. I was totally crushed and spent weeks reflecting on whether I’d done enough. I spent a lot of time reflecting on how selfish people can be, especially boys, and how we must get better at talking to our friends. It’s about us seeing the signs and being open to having honest and hard conversations.”

The band will perform at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds on August 12th 2021.