Album Review: Sleaford Mods, The Demise of Planet X

Is it even possible to accurately represent our internet-addicted brains?

Highlighting one specific irritant is like trying to pick out the shiniest shard from a shattered skyscraper. And by the time you’ve found it, something else has come along: AI deepfakes, Bonnie Blue, brainrot, Arsenal fans.

The Demise Of Planet X, from Nottingham spoken word punk duo Sleaford Mods, captures that modern combo of anger, confusion, and distraction, through fragmented diatribes and measured poetic meter.

Vocalist Jason Williamson will start at a specific point, then meander, telling everyone to fuck off in the process - with some candid self-reflection into the bargain. A-Tate and macho culture get some on ‘Bad Santa’, before Williamson reveals his own lot in the swamp: “I watch reels like hamsters love wheels”.

Elsewhere, loneliness by social media is laid out on ‘Megaton’, ‘Flood The Zone’ reckons the MAGA cult is on a tightrope, and ‘Shoving The Images’ tackles keyboard warriors.

Life away from the screen gets examined on ‘Double Diamonds’, where a hangover nightmare and crap drug dealers are vividly evoked, as is drugged-up existence on ‘No Touch’.

It’s all underpinned by characteristically intense soundscapes from producer Andrew Fearn, who has more a less perfected a specific brand of minimalist electro-punk.

Modern life may be rubbish - but Sleaford Mods have turned the detritus into gold.

8/10