Villanella & The Northern Wonder are a Manchester-based rock band who I’ve been following for a couple of years now. They’ve just released a new EP, the follow up to 2021’s debut Dark Days at the Grand, and it’s called Mirage.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Adrienne Street

When Villanelle & The Northern Wonder released Dark Days at the Grand, they were a duo, but since its release they’ve expanded in number and now Kieran Greville and Dan Shaw are joined by Katie Goodall, Zach Tyler and Ana Larby. It was as a five piece that they released the single December Bloom at the end of last year, and the track starts the running on Mirage.

December Bloom opens things up with a fiery, throwback feel. Gritty, dark, and vibrant, it instantly transports you to a world that feels a merge of the past, present and future, existing out of time. British indie rock meets lonesome troubadour in a way that Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner has only done as successfully.

Gold Standard is a laidback and sleazy piece of soulful rock with some rich storytelling in its lyrics. Blue Eyed Boy is an Americana-infused number that could easily feature on a Tarantino soundtrack. Echoing guitar gives way to a cantering composition that brings to mind a cowboy and his horse making their way through the desert. Popcorn feels more intimate, invoking an image of the early hours of a morning after a messy night before.

If I wasn’t already convinced about the level of talent that makes up Villanelle & The Northern Wonder, Mirage would have cemented it. The expansion of the band’s line-up was a strong move, and they’ve not lost any of their charm introduced in Dark Days at the Grand. Fans of latter days Arctic Monkeys or The Last Shadow Puppets will find a lot to love about this EP. You can give it a listen below.