Real Lies - North Circular

Real Lies are from North London and they want you to know about it. They document everything - the bleary-eyed bus journeys, the Sunday morning comedowns, the sense of home - through spoken word vocals and warm keys. Whereas before New Order comparisons sped towards them after a debut single (‘Deeper’, ‘World Peace’), on ‘North Circular’ the only thing they could be compared to is The Streets. They capture a mood and a sense of place better than any Instagram collage. This is London in all its mucky, murky brilliance.

They make the city sound positively heroic, every line being expressed with belief and pride. Even “the rapturous players of the petrol station” gain a trusty, poetic shout out. Real Lies are the real deal.