SINGLE REVIEW: Labyrinthine Ocean – for the flesh and for the machine

‘…a genuine delight to hear the band leaning into a heavier side that they have always alluded to through their material…’

If 2025 demonstrated anything of Labyrinthine Oceans, it was that the grunge-gaze outfit have certainly found the secret to success. Following the release of their ethereal EP, ‘everyone was alive‘, the band toured England relentlessly, and have established themselves an undeniable cult following that only seems to grow with each passing day. Alongside this, the band relocated from their home of Newcastle-upon-Tyne to London, and have been joined by brand new bassist Laila Riley, preparing for another year of demonstrating that you don’t have to sacrifice artistic vision for success.

The momentum that the band picked up last year shows no sign of slowing down, with the announcement of a brand new EP to be released on May 6th: ‘for the flesh and for the machine‘. The four-piece have kicked off this brand new era with the release of the EP’s title track, and in the process, show their sound and the heaviest it has ever been. The track sees Julia O’Neill-Walton grappling with the slow death of humanity in the algorithmic age, and our complete inability to sever ourselves from cyberspace. It commences as a slow burn affair, with swirling, atmospheric instrumentals beneath brooding vocals.

Patrick Ilderton puts on his finest percussion performance to date in the band’s catalogue, buoying the entire track with a hypnotic rotation of beats that carries the track towards its monolithic apex. The spiralling bridge simmers with a fraught tension, O’Neill-Walton stuck in a loop of repetition before erupting with a magnificent fury during the cataclysmic climax, pushing her already impressive vocals into uncharted territories of semi-screams. It’s a genuine delight to hear the band leaning into a heavier side that they have always alluded to through their material; it feels wholly natural, and lands with the impact of a high speed train as their incredible musicianship rips through your mind, body, and soul.

If this track is at all indicative of what to expect from Labyrinthine Oceans going forwards, then there is not a doubt in my mind that the attention they receive with only continue to multiply, potentially exponentially. ‘for the flesh and for the machine‘ takes what makes their core sound so engaging and enthralling, and expands upon it without ever losing the sense of claustrophobia the band so magically are able to craft. It it raw and intense, with just a hint of polish that primes them for entering their biggest era yet. May 6th cannot come quick enough.

For Fans Of: Radiohead, Harm, NewDad, Glixen, Deftones, Thornhill

Featured photo credit belongs to Ciaran Wilson (@visualsby_cw).

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