Wu L:yf: A Wave That Will Never Break

After fifteen years since their standout debut album Go Tell Fire To The Mountain, Manchester’s mysterious collective Wu Lyf appear from nowhere with another sophisticated release that still stands apart from most and doesn’t stray from their original vision. Wayne AF Carey reviews…

For anyone who hasn’t heard their debut you need to look it up, yet don’t rely on the usual suspect streaming sites as it’s not there. Stick to Bandcamp and treat yourself before launching into this. It’s art rock at it’s finest and still sounds like nothing else today. World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation (now Love You Forever) are the ambition of four musicians,  Ellery Roberts, Joseph Manning, Evans Kati & Thomas McClung who had the idea of creating their own kind of sound, recording in an abandoned church for that ethereal organ sound that runs right through the debut, not doing interviews, minimal press and a mystique which they stick to today. The closest I ever got to speaking to them was when Francis (Tom) Lung released the stunning Short Stories EP back in 2022 and granted me a rare interview where he explained the reasons behind the Wu Lyf departure. I was surprised to say the least when I found out they were back! A few clues and then boom! Another chapter to their missing link.

Starting track Love Your Fate just kicks in where they left off with a sublime guitar riff, funky bass and drums backed with Ellery’s rasping vocals that have somewhat evolved over the years. A nice welcome back with a tune that sticks in your head for a while. Sermonic, anthemic and melodic like early Arcade Fire done by Manchester, with a proper funky lick at the outro. Robe Of Glory builds in with an eerie guitar refrain and slow tribal drums greeting in the heavy guitar again with Ellery’s throaty vocals, building into a storm mixed in the dark art rock sound they were always great at. The trick here is the dynamics that stop and start and whip into a storm at the right time. Letting Go is a beautiful tune that harks back to their church recording, all echoing and perfect, yet this time carefully constructed by the production of the legendary Sonic Boom. A mellow number with some clever twists from the backbone of Manning, Kati and McClung. A beautiful beast that swirls and shines with passion and pride that bursts with joy four minutes in.

The Fool brings back the old familiar sound of church organs that introduce the vocals which are toned down from the usual throaty raspy sermonic sounds that build into a trance like drum beat and ethereal guitars blending with a stand out repetitive bass line from McClung. This is the psych number they’ve always threatened and there’s no holding back with the atmospheric experimental sound that drags you in. Highlight is the epic ten minute Tib St. Tabernacle that builds like a Floyd number with the guitar and bass drum triple mellow hit and has Ellery coming all across Nick Cave at his best, without trying to mimic the great man. It’s an ambitious piece of music which gives evidence that Wu Lyf weren’t fuckin’ about for fifteen years. They were dormant plotting the ultimate comeback. I can’t think of anyone who has written a beautiful piece of music like this for a while. It’s a heart wrencher that builds, flutters and rises in equal parts throughout. An ambitious flirt with prog rock kicks in at about seven minutes that twists and turns with howling vocals and a mental bit of jamming that clears the earlobes. Astonishing stuff.

Wave is a mellow starter with Ellery going down low, his vocals never as clear as this with an Ian McCulloch / Richard Ashcroft vibe, backed with some great piano and an eery guitar sound with McClung’s bass popping through for effect. The gospel like chorus coming up to four minutes sounds heavenly and dramatic as it flies out into the stratosphere before stopping. Then kicking into that familar Wu Lyf guitar sound. Beautiful. Closing track At The End Of The Day (It Is What It Is) has Ellery going all Leonard Cohen / Nick Cave on our ears with a rousing piece of class music that only The Bad Seeds can identify with. It’s maudlin stuff yet heartlifting when the intricate dynamics lift up and treat your ears to an uplifting experience with the crashing finale.

I can only surmise that Wu Lyf have never really gone away and they’ve been listening to the greats chipping away at their collective brain, crying out ‘get something fucking down again’. Let hope we don’t have to wait another fifteen years Mr Roberts & co…

Website

Wu Lyf live: Saturday 13th June at The Albert Hall, Manchester. Tickets here.

Words by Wayne Carey, Reviews Editor for Louder Than War. His author profile is here