Singer-songwriter Allman Brown has announced details of a new EP, ‘Second Son Part I’ which lands on 1st December 2023 via Nettwerk, and today he’s shared his latest single ‘Bad Blood’. The song finds Allman Brown deftly juggling self-reflection with driving alt-pop rhythms, infectious riffs and organic vocal harmonies to capture the burden of the past and the steps we take to face it. Looking inwardly and grappling with the guilt that comes along with reflecting on your own actions, Allman explains: “This song is about dealing with the version of myself I don’t like very much. Sensing that I’m not improving upon the mistakes of my parents but perpetuating them, that I’m stuck in a loop I can’t escape. It’s a downbeat song in the sense that I can’t forgive myself sometimes for the things I’ve done and the hurt I’ve caused others. It deals with shame, the oppressive nature of that feeling, and how it mutates to cover everything. It’s hard to escape sometimes.”
Born and raised in Hong Kong before moving to London at age 11, Allman Brown made an introduction with his hit single ‘Sons & Daughters’ (performed with Liz Lawrence) in 2013. The track proved a Spotify smash, amassing over 10 million streams worldwide as well as features on multiple TV soundtracks. His debut album ‘1000 Years’ was released in 2017, which actually feels like it’s a 1000 years ago already, earning critical acclaim for his balladry and folk-fuelled vignettes inspired by artists such as Bon Iver, Tracy Chapman, Paul Simon and Feist, before ‘Darling, It’ll Be Alright’ followed in 2019. The sound on his new EP might be a left turn for him, but the core of quality songwriting remains.