I caught HONESTY at Mutations Festival this past weekend and they were nothing short of captivating.
Led by George Mitchell, Matt Peel, Josh Lewis and Imi Marston, the Leeds-based collective brought a fluid, immersive energy to the club, embracing a refreshingly genre-less, expectation-free ethos.
Their live show unfolded behind a backdrop of projected visuals - an odyssey through sprawling cityscapes, fast-motion blooms and more - perfectly framing their cinematic soundscapes as they wrapped around pulsing beats and subtle melodies.
HONESTY isn’t a traditional band; they’re a collective with a rotating roster of collaborators, including artists like Kosi Tydes, Softlizard, Rarelyalways, Florence Shaw and Liam Bailey. Drawing from ambient, electronic and dance music, they craft soundscapes that are both introspective and expansive, striking a balance between the personal and the cinematic.
Their latest single, ‘TORMENTOR’, showcases HONESTY at their most intense and anthemic. The track reflects on a deceitful relationship, with Marston’s manipulated vocals moving between a whisper and a cry, drawn back repeatedly by the promise of euphoria. Hypnotic synth waves and a pulsing beat layer the track in an entrancing atmosphere that builds and releases in waves, making ‘TORMENTOR’ an undeniable standout in the group’s live A/V show.
Reflecting on the track, Marston shared, “TORMENTOR’ was one of the first tracks I worked on with the guys and probably took the longest to get the vocals pinned down for. Some vocals come really easy, but others take more graft and sometimes need a bit of distance to get them over the line. I’m glad we made sense of it in the end as it’s become a core part of HONESTY and for me feels like my introduction to being part of it.”
🎧 Watch the video for ‘TORMENTOR’ below