7/10
Brighton garage-punk trio Honeybadger have always thrived in controlled chaos, but on 'State of Play' they sound like a band trying to make sense of the noise rather than simply adding to it. The result is an EP that balances urgency with intent, capturing the pressure and instability of modern life without ever fully smoothing its edges.
At its surface, 'State of Play' is all jagged riffs, propulsive rhythms and scorched-earth energy—built for sweat-soaked rooms and immediate impact. But underneath the distortion, there’s a consistent thread of unease running through the record, a sense of life happening slightly too fast to properly process.
Opener 'Itch' sets the tone with an immediate rush of fuzz and friction, locking into a driving groove that feels both restless and tightly wound. It’s a statement of arrival, but also a suggestion of instability—like the band are holding everything together just long enough for it to explode.
'Mishear' shifts the mood into something murkier and more introspective, pulling back from pure aggression into a grunge-tinged haze where vocals feel half-buried in the mix. It’s here that the EP shows its range most clearly, allowing space for atmosphere without losing momentum.
Elsewhere, 'Killswitch' and 'Gonna Break' lean back into full-throttle garage-punk territory, but even at their most direct there’s a tension in the writing that stops them from feeling purely cathartic. These are songs that don’t just release energy—they strain under it.
Across the EP, Honeybadger don’t so much refine their sound as sharpen its contradictions. There’s melody and abrasion, control and collapse, often existing in the same track. It gives 'State of Play' a sense of movement rather than resolution, as though the band are documenting something still unfolding rather than presenting a finished statement.
Stream the collection below
