Sam Fender unveils latest track ‘Aye’
The Geordie — who has seen a prolific rise to the front of the indie music scene in recent years — is back with his latest single
Photo: NME
The Tyneside singer’s latest track is a furious and powerful comment on working class identity and the polarity of the left and right.
Nearly two years since he charmed us all with his debut album, Hypersonic Missiles, Sam Fender’s latest track, Aye, is the second to be released from his upcoming record Seventeen Going Under.
Fender has said that his new album will be a lot more personal than much of his previous work, but Aye is much rather a general statement, brimming with criticisms of the current political atmosphere (“I don’t have time for the very few / They never have time for me and you”).
In a system where the left and right seem to be polarising and yet merging at the same time, working class people are increasingly becoming alienated from either side; in an interview with The Guardian, Sam said that the track covers the issue of the “sheer disparity” between the 1% and the rest of the world, and how, specifically in his native North East England, the working classes seem to be stuck in a position where they have no political identity.
While no stranger to speaking his mind on topical issues in his lyrics, as seen with debut album tracks White Privilege and Dead Boys, Fender creates a far angrier tone in Aye, which makes you feel enraged rather than just sorrowful. The end of the tune is the most powerful part, where Fender’s frustration and rage really breaks through, as he declares “I’m not a fucking anything or anyone”. In September, I’m meant to be going to one of his gigs for the first time (I booked the tickets about two years ago, but Covid had other plans!) and I just know this one is going to be a stomper live.
The track definitely has a darker vibe than a lot of the songs from the Hypersonic Missiles era, which suggests the upcoming album might continue with this new sound. I’m a massive Sam Fender fan, and Aye definitely holds promise for me about what to expect from the upcoming record, which is due for release on October 8th. If you like political rants which double as great tunes, this one’s for you.
