Birmingham duo GANS have just unleashed their latest single ‘Nightwalking‘ – and it’s a proper departure from their usual post-punk chaos.
The track arrives ahead of their debut album Good For The Soul, dropping 19th September on Peter Doherty’s Strap Originals label. Produced by Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, Amyl & The Sniffers), it’s a sultry, after-hours groove that’ll have you cruising through midnight streets. The difference a good producer can make is wild. It’s an immediate earworm from the second you press play.
“‘Nightwalking’ addresses that space between love, desire and lust,” explains drummer and vocalist Euan Woodman. “Love does not always have to be clean and pure – it can be dark and cruel. It can be late night f***ing.”
He continues: “We tried to write our version of a soul track with a dark twist. It was kinda like a Grand Theft Auto late night cruise with Marvin Gaye driving through the streets of Digbeth.”
The track features brass sections from Ibibio Sound Machine and follows recent BBC 6 Music playlist additions ‘I Think I Like You’ and ‘It’s Just Life’.
GANS – Euan Woodman and Tom Rhodes – grew up in working class Black Country, with parents grafting in factories and mills. Their music merges “uneasy realism with horizon-chasing escapism.”
The album was born during a 10-day Welsh countryside retreat in December 2024. “We hired a cottage, armed ourselves with enough food, booze, weed and music to keep us inspired,” Woodman recalls. “It was an idyllic place with a little brook – all very Led Zeppelin.”
Blossom’s recently did the same for I Like Your Look with CMAT, and churned out another exceptional track. There must be something potent in that Welsh country air.
GANS hit the road this September with UK headline dates before supporting Big Special across Europe. They’ll be at Brighton’s Green Door Store (2nd Sep), London’s Lexington (9th Sep), and Manchester’s YES Basement (10th Sep). Tickets available here.
The band’s name comes from Woodman’s disturbing Francis Bacon-inspired paintings – specifically, a goose smoking a cigarette. GANS means “goose” in German. Who knew, eh?!
