The Nottingham band have gone from zero to one hundred this year. Fresh of the release of their debut EP, they report back to us.

Divorce have really squeezed every bit of life going from this year. They have gone from having virtually no live profile to being one of the most sought-after acts on the circuit and released a string of singles from February onwards which were finally collected into the EP Get Mean on 2^nd December. Their music speaks of pop and indie influences underwritten by knowing nods to Americana and alt-country. They report back from a year on the road, shouting out Big Thief, Sorry, Walt Disco and more for getting them through it.

From Divorce

We started 2022 having only played two shows as a band and with nothing released, so the space between then and now at the end of our first year is a bit of a blur. We were very lucky to release four singles throughout the year via Hand in Hive, who’ve shown a lot of faith in us since giving us our first show supporting TV Priest right at the end of 2021. Back in the spring we set off on our first headline UK tour – having only released one song so not really expecting much – but were thrilled to receive an incredibly heartening response from crowds we didn’t know existed. 
With two more singles following that, we toured the UK again and even got to play Left Of The Dial festival in Rotterdam, which was magic. To round off the first year and wrap up our four singles as a neat little EP, we released ‘That Hill’. All in all we’ve had a lovely and slightly overwhelming year and we’re so excited for more in 2023.

Albums of the Year

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief

This is a ridiculously creative record of beautiful songs with so much warmth and intimacy to the arrangements.

Anywhere But Here by Sorry

For a whole number of reasons this record feels so close to our hearts, it’s an almost uncomfortably cathartic listen. It was released while we were on the road and we played it over and over.

God Save The Animals by Alex G

‘Runner’ was a big favourite in the car, we played it as we arrived in Rotterdam on tour and we all know it inside out.

Song of the year:

‘Drew The Line’ by our dear friends, Blood Wizard

 
Felix: I can’t overstate how perfect this track is. It’s overwhelmingly satisfying as a piece of song-craft and the production and arrangement combine to push all of the feeling right up to you like a deliciously hearty stew of sadness and defiance.

Divorce’s Highlight

For me there have been a lot of highlights, but they’re always the small things; like the feeling of a slightly odd idea actually coming together in the studio, or the giddy conversations we had late at night after a show that’d gone well, or looking around in the car and realising we were about to play a show somewhere far from home to people who’d paid to see us even though we’d never been there before. Those moments stick in my mind more than the things I’d always thought would feel great about being in a band that’s getting a bit of attention, and they’re ultimately what we keep doing it for really.

Show of the Year

We went to see Walt Disco play at The Bodega in Nottingham shortly after meeting them on tour in the spring. It was such a striking performance and they all possess such an incredible charisma on stage. ‘Macilent’ particularly just floored me, it’s massive and so human. I left feeling so inspired to have more fun when we play live, they make it look so easy.