Alien Chicks have returned with the release of their fourth EP, ‘Toys Taken at Birth’. Their latest body of work follows a busy year for the trio, and an impressive one at that. Securing a spot on the bill at In It Together, Mutations Festival and Iceland Airwaves, the band have gone from strength to strength, now capitalising on that momentum with more live dates scheduled over the next six months.
The EP’s political undertones were made blindingly clear from the release of the anti-establishment anthem ‘Madmen’ and follow-up Missy Elliot cover ‘Get Ur Freak On’, whose promo featured cameos from ex-Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
Brash, loud, and unapologetic, the former track sees Alien Chicks in their most perfectly unrefined but blunt form. “Democracy doesn’t exist anymore!” screams lead vocalist Josef Lindsay. Holding a mirror up to the dystopian realities of the present day, ‘Madmen’ encapsulates all of the sonic quirks Alien Chicks have become known for since their formation in 2021, while their raucous rap rendition offers a humorous period of respite from the EP’s darker subject matter.
Wicked bouts of laughter, intermittent cowbells, and frenetic rap verses characterise ‘5/4’, with a slinky rendition of the ‘Teddy Bear’s Picnic’ also thrown into the mix, dialling up their newest instalment’s eccentricity in an instant.
Standing tall on the tracklist as pieces listeners can’t quite compare to anything else yet released by the Brixton-based band, ‘Now I’m Big’ and ‘I Killed Uncle Ben’ both ride this eccentric wave. While the former track spotlights Martha Daniels’ explosive drumming style and Stefan Parker-Steele’s syncopated basslines, the latter is a showcase of Lindsay’s vocal dexterity – a mellower cut that swaps his archetypal boisterous freestyling for a more commanding, impressive inflection.
Speaking to DIY in 2024, the band spoke of their “continuous effort to ensure that no two songs are the same”. Judging by their latest work, that mantra still rings wonderfully true. With yet another UK tour scheduled for the beginning of 2027, and a debut album still unannounced, ‘Toys Taken at Birth’ has only helped Alien Chicks live up to their billing as one of the most exciting bands to watch right now.
Ruby Brown
Image: ‘Toys Taken at Birth’ Official EP Cover