What happens when anxiety, regret, and a questionable night out meet a seriously infectious groove? In Jetlag’s world, apparently you dance through it.
The London indie maximalists return with “Wicked Tongue,” a fuzz-covered, riff-heavy single that finds the band stepping into a new sonic era. Gone are the brass-led arrangements that helped shape their earlier work. In their place come gritty guitars, hypnotic rhythms and a swaggering pulse that gives their self-described Desert Glam Disco sound plenty of room to misbehave.
The song’s emotional core is considerably heavier than its groove suggests. Written in the aftermath of frontman Simon Glancy’s relationship falling apart, “Wicked Tongue” digs into the uncomfortable aftermath of nights spent trying to escape reality. There is confusion, paranoia, and that horrible feeling of waking up and wondering what exactly happened, who was hurt and whether something you said crossed a line.
Rather than simply explaining the story, Jetlag make the listener experience that uncertainty.
The verses feel tense and inward-looking, creating the sense of being stuck inside an endless loop of memories and unanswered questions. Then comes the chorus, and suddenly everything opens up. The track shifts from internal panic to a huge, danceable release, turning emotional chaos into something you can actually move to.
That contrast is where “Wicked Tongue” really shines.
Musically, Jetlag are clearly having fun with the tension between heaviness and pop instinct. Fuzzy guitar tones bring plenty of desert-rock muscle, while the rhythm keeps the track firmly pointed toward the dancefloor. There is a swagger reminiscent of classic glam and rock ‘n’ roll, alongside the weight of Queens of the Stone Age and the psychedelic groove of Primal Scream. Even the spirit of ABBA’s disco confidence finds a place within the chaos.
It is an unusual combination, but that is exactly the point. Jetlag have never sounded particularly interested in staying inside one genre box. Their indie maximalist approach is about making music that can be played loudly while still carrying something emotionally meaningful underneath all the noise.
Following “Prozac Nation,” which introduced their bold brass arrangements and sharper social observations, “Wicked Tongue” shows the band willing to tear up their own blueprint. The result is less about repeating what worked before and more about discovering what else Jetlag can become.
And there is something wonderfully messy about the whole thing. The song takes the kind of thoughts that usually keep you awake at night and gives them a beat. Regret becomes rhythm. Self-doubt becomes swagger. Emotional fallout becomes a disco-rock party.
That makes “Wicked Tongue” more than just a stylistic left turn. It is a strong reminder that sometimes the best way to deal with the things you cannot take back is to turn the volume up and keep moving.
Jetlag turn emotional chaos into pure kinetic energy on ‘Wicked Tongue’
