One of two tracks on the album recorded with, and benefiting from musical contributions from the history-making David Bowie and T-Rex producer, ‘Apocalypse Queen’ features a rollcall of major league, award-winning musical contributors. Alongside Visconti on bass and backing vocals, the recording of ‘Apocalypse Queen’ welcomes Blackstar bandleader and saxophonist, Donny McCaslin, guitarist, Gerry Leonard (David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Rufus Wainwright), eight times Grammy Award-winning engineer, Kevin Killen (Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos, Kate Bush) and drummer, Gunnar Olsen (Bruce Springsteen, Liam Gallagher, Miley Cyrus).

A song that’s “about embracing your strength, realising your power and unleashing our potential…possibly just in time for the end of days.” ‘Apocalypse Queen’ is apt follow-up to the artist’s striking, standalone summer dystopian bop single, Simple Pleasures. On both and tracing the themes of the lazer-focused album to come, de Bastion’s position couldn’t be clearer: “If we’re going out, we’re going out loud!”

Here Lies Human:

1. Here Lies Human
2. Simple Pleasures
3. Apocalypse Queen
4. This Is How The World Ends
5. Biometrics
6. So Long Forever
7. Vitamin Happy
8. New Town
9. Miracle
10. Becoming

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The synths steal the show from the very first note, driving the song forward with infectious energy while angular guitars add bite and urgency. Echoes of St. Vincent and Beck are woven throughout, but ‘Simple Pleasures’ feels even more immediate and effortlessly catchy, striking a perfect balance between alternative edge and pop accessibility. Subtle robotic vocal treatments and electronic flourishes hint at the song’s dystopian themes, while its groove remains impossible to resist.

Despite its weighty subject matter, ‘Simple Pleasures’ is bursting with personality. Roxanne de Bastion’s charismatic vocal performance gives the track a playful, almost kitschy charm that makes it feel tailor-made for the dancefloor. Clever, colourful and packed with earworm melodies, it’s a thrilling glimpse into an exciting new chapter for one of the UK’s most distinctive songwriters.

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The single is a punchy, succinct three minutes of brilliant juxtapositions. Scuzzy guitars provide unexpected but exhilarating backing for the clarity of Roxanne’s voice, whilst the irresistible, upbeat melody contrasts perfectly with pointed lyrics that tackle repressed thoughts and frustrations, that perhaps particularly as a woman are often hidden away for the sake of politeness. As Roxanne elaborates, the recording reflects the song’s themes:

“There’s a sense of urgency to this recording – we captured it mostly live and quickly – that mirrors the emotions in the song: it’s about airing quiet frustrations we are too scared to voice. Allowing myself to be angry out loud is a learning curve (“I’m too polite to be comfortable in my skin”)”

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