Following a fruitful year of releases, mustbejohn, who was born and raised in Hertfordshire, delivers his highly anticipated 6-track EP, ‘Romance in Great Britain.’ Heavily influenced by his environment, mustbejohn is constantly expanding on the relatable, catchy, and unique sound for which he has become renowned. John’s musical inspirations serve as a foundation for his open and genuine songwriting as he shares stories of life in the city, parties, people he knows, and, of course, romance.
The title track ‘Romance in Great Britain’ starts the EP, acting as the backdrop to London’s make-ups and break-ups, with mustbejohn singing: “Romeo and Juliet in TN’s, hook up now and then, but chose to be friends” as he portrays a vivid image of British street-life. The second track on the EP “Days Feel Like Seconds,” with inspirations from the liquid drum and bass and underground scene, is the feel-good party mood to get you through any dreary day.
With a persistent backbeat pressing on the uptempo tune, mustbejohn’s distinctive harsh vocal delivery suits his unmistakably UK sound, even more, all while building a distinct style by including parts of wavy electronica. “New Gen,” which continues to flawlessly merge sliding synth melodies with underground vibes, is yet another example of mustbejohn’s aptitude for merging genres to create his distinct soundtrack. ‘High Risk,’ the main single, has all the components of a mustbejohn classic: bouncy rhythms, vibey synthesisers, and party-based hook lines.
The joyful dance single ‘Handy Mandy,’ which paints an image of a chaotic London night out, is one that John characterises as “an honest bopper for the raving gang.” In another tongue-in-cheek and iconic composition, John asks “Has she got stunning eyes or is she simply on mandy” before launching into a classic hook-y chorus. ‘Is it Just Me,’ the EP’s closing track, leans on the budding talent’s Britpop roots, with indie guitars bringing in the start, building up to another sympathetic and catchy chorus.
Speaking on the EP mustbejohn tells us: “Romance in Great Britain’ explores a lot of different aspects of the word romance. Not only the relationships we have with people but the nights out, the hangovers, the off days and more. I wrote this project during a period when I was experiencing a lot of change in the situation I was in and the people around me were in too. I had a lot of fun making this record and I feel like you can hear it on the EP.”
With a natural flair for storytelling that becomes stronger with each succeeding release, 2022 appears to be a watershed moment for the local youngster.