ALBUM REVIEW: Desperate Journalist – No Hero

Fierce Panda Records

Released: 27.09.24

London-based band Desperate Journalist’s fifth record could be their best yet, from the slow build to an enthralling crescendo of the opener Adah, right through to You Say You’re Lonely’s hauntingly moving melodies and beyond. Afraid is the standout track, delicate piano touches scattered throughout a song about anxiety and finding the one person you feel safe with.

But there are plenty other highlights too; from the gothic synths of Comfort to the epic Unsympathetic Parts 1 & 2, full of the band’s usual noirish indie but taking it further to experimental – dare I say prog? – levels in a thoroughly widescreen piece of art. Some of the most exciting records take you on a journey and No Hero’s one is full of twists and turns.