Sleaford Mods will release their thirteenth album, The Demise of Planet X . Pre-orders and pre-saves are available here .
The album showcases the British post-punk duo at their best. With biting lyrics and ferocious themes, Sleaford Mods continues to challenge conventions and critique the modern world with their powerful and chaotic sound.
We spoke with vocalist Jason Williamson about the new album, the special guest appearances, the band's critical perspective on current global politics, and more. Jason also reminisced about their debut show in Brazil , which took place in November 2024.
Throughout their eighteen-year career, the duo has amassed a vast discography. However, The Demise of Planet X stands out as their most comprehensive work to date. When explaining which elements were necessary to achieve this feeling, the vocalist attributes the evolution to the album's production.
“I think it’s just the scale of the sound in the production. It just seems a bit broader. It seems more accessible to, probably, a larger audience, but who knows?”
Origin of the name of the new Sleaford Mods album
The album title references science fiction films from the 1980s. When asked if "Planet X" was a satire of the way we live, Jason stated that it was an observation of an already existing collapse.
“It’s not really satire, it’s more of a commentary on the fact that it seems like the planet has already imploded. Planet X is a conspiracy theory story about another planet colliding with Earth and exploding it. But the feeling is that this has already happened in some respects and what we have now isn’t a new horizon. It’s more of the same, so to speak.”
Jason commented on special appearances.
The track “The Good Life” marks the debut of renowned actress Gwendoline Christie ( Game of Thrones and Wednesday ) as a singer. Regarding how the unusual collaboration came about, he explains that it all started with an interaction on social media.
“She sent messages through Instagram and things flowed from there. 'The Good Life' was a song that took about two years to write. When I managed to improve my verses, I felt something was missing, a different sound. That's when Gwendoline came into the picture. She expressed interest in working with us. I offered her a part in the song and she came to Abbey Road Studios in London to record. We are very proud of that.”
The album's main collaboration is with Sue Tompkins , former vocalist of Life Without Buildings , who had been away from music for years. Jason revealed: “We had never heard of Life Without Buildings or Sue Tompkins before. Jeanette Lee , from Rough Trade , suggested we listen to her.”
“I knew from the start that she was the perfect fit for a collaboration. So, after an hour-long phone conversation with Sue on a Saturday summer afternoon, I sent her the song ['No Touch'] and she told me she loved it,” he added.
Chaos in a post-pandemic world
The 2023 album, UK GRIM, made during the pandemic, had stagnation as its main theme. The new work, however, focuses on the effects of a post-pandemic world. Amidst wars, genocides, and the rise of misinformation, Jason pointed out that "instability" frightens him in this current scenario.
“It’s a threat of terror, of war, of collapse. I don’t know if wars have always been present, but as the conflict in the Middle East becomes something much bigger and encompasses the world, and with the invasion of Ukraine, this means a much more unstable landscape.”
Sleaford Mods and the strong political bias of “Flood The Zone”
One of the album's strongest tracks, "Flood The Zone," directly criticizes the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, linked to US President Donald Trump . The title refers to the method of "flooding" the media with misinformation. Regarding the rise of far-right leaders and movements around the world, including in England, Williamson responded:
"It's depressing. It's not even worrying, it's just depressing. They're already here. There's no reason to worry about it. What can we do to fight it? I don't know. I have no idea. Don't become one of them (laughs)."
Debut show in Brazil
Regarding his debut in Brazil, Jason stated that he “loved the country” and that he “wants to return soon.” He also praised Black Pantera , who opened for him: “Brilliant. We really enjoyed it. I hope to see them again, and who knows, maybe even play together.”
Finally, Jason sent a message to those awaiting the release of the new Sleaford Mods album: “We hope you really enjoy the new album. We really want to see you all again. Please show it to your friends, spread the word, and we hope to see you soon.”
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