GENRE; Experimental
LABEL; Sacred Bones
RATING; 9.1
URGH, the fiery second album from Anglo‑French experimental outfit Mandy, Indiana, arrives as one of 2026’s most compelling releases — a visceral, confrontational journey that pushes their abrasive sound into thrilling new territory. With a strong Metacritic score in the mid‑80s and universal acclaim from critics, this record cements the band’s reputation as boundary‑pushing innovators.
The ten‑track album — recorded between Berlin, Manchester, and an eerie Leeds studio — was shaped amid personal upheavals for vocalist Valentine Caulfield and drummer Alex Macdougall, and that struggle is woven into every pulse and dissonant synth. From the jagged industrial opening of “Sevastopol” to the cinematic tension of tracks like “Life Hex” and “Cursive,” URGH blends noise, techno, post‑punk and electronic chaos into a cohesive yet unpredictable soundscape.
Caulfield’s voice — often delivered in French — serves as both texture and weapon: a seductive yowl one moment, a furious cry the next. On lead single “Magazine,” she channels trauma and righteous rage into something raw and unforgettable, while the closing track, “I’ll Ask Her,” confronts toxic culture with unflinching clarity. The guest verse from underground heavy‑hitter billy woods on “Sicko!” adds an intense hip‑hop edge that expands the album’s emotional palette.
Across its runtime, URGH is as challenging as it is exhilarating — a record that digs into pain, societal fractures, and defiance, yet still finds room for moments of unguarded beauty and solidarity. It’s not always an easy listen, but that’s part of its power: a cathartic howl that demands to be felt as much as heard.
