If Modern Guilt's second EP We’ll Always Have Vegas showed us they had teeth, their new single You Know Who You Are proves they've got a venomous bite — and they know exactly how and when to use it.

Released digitally on March 28, 2025, and produced by Mikey Buckley with mastering finesse by Tim Turan (Supergrass), You Know Who You Are is a sharply observed, sonically vibrant garage-rock cut that twists, grooves, and sneers with delicious confidence. From the first riff, it grabs your collar like a drunken prophet in a dive bar, half-warning, half-confessing, and it doesn’t let go.

This is Modern Guilt at their most mischievous. The guitars twitch and pulse with a kind of controlled nervous energy, the rhythm section dances around the beat like it’s had one too many espressos, and Jaz’s vocals swagger with just the right dose of contempt and cool detachment. There's a Talking Heads angularity to the arrangement, paired with the LCD Soundsystem-style urgency that makes you want to simultaneously dance, fight, and rant about society’s downward spiral.

Frontman Jaz isn’t pulling punches with the lyrics either. “One for the liars,” he calls it — an ode to dishonesty in all its mundane and magnificent forms. And it’s easy to see what he means. The song oozes with cynical amusement, like it’s been people-watching too long at the back of a smoky bar. The chorus drips with sarcasm and self-awareness. It's the kind of track that stares deep into the soul of the social media age — where everyone’s talking about everyone else, truth is optional, and performance is everything.

There’s something almost therapeutic about the way You Know Who You Are channels this frustration through sound. The bassline struts like it owns the place, the drums snap with precise looseness (drummer Scott Thomson not only held down the beat but directed the track’s new visualiser), and the guitar work balances grit and melody like a tightrope walker with a flask in their pocket.

Clocking in at a sweet spot that doesn’t overstay its welcome, the single is tightly wound, smartly produced, and somehow feels both modern and retro. It’s punk without the mess, indie without the pretension — and just plain fun without being fluffy. It feels like the kind of track you’d hear through sticky speakers at 2 AM in the backroom of a venue that hasn’t changed its carpets since 1994. In other words: perfect.

Modern Guilt’s return couldn’t be better timed. Already champions of London’s independent rock resurgence and backed by tastemakers like Steve Lamacq (BBC 6Music), John Kennedy (Radio X), and Jess Iszatt (BBC Radio 1 Introducing), the band are clearly carving out their space with razor-sharp confidence. And with another sold-out gig under their belt at Paper Dress Vintage, it’s clear their audience isn’t just nodding along — they’re fully bought in.

You Know Who You Are is a statement track, one that reflects a band stepping into their full swagger. It’s gritty, catchy, loaded with character, and delivers its message with just enough snarl to leave a mark. Whether you’re blasting it in headphones on your morning commute or screaming along with a pint in hand at a sweaty East London gig, one thing’s clear: Modern Guilt are not messing around.

And if this single is any indication of what’s next, then liars, beware — these guys are watching, and they’re taking notes.

We spoke to Modern Guilt about their journey so far.

Do you have an interesting moment or story from your early life that has had a significant impact on your journey into music? 

Jaz: Crushing emptiness filled briefly by the right song at the right time.

Scott: Music has always been in my life as far as I remember… my parents playing classics like The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Prince and early Madonna. I was keen to learn an instrument but wasn’t sure which – guitar, drums – but when I saw Ocean Colour Scene live for the first time, the drummer played an incredible solo which was the moment at which I wanted to take up drumming.

Are there any artists that were influential to your musical journey? How have they inspired your sound as an artist?

Scott: I guess seeing Ocean Colour Scene was the moment I wanted to play drums, but also the attitude and legacy of Oasis, the sound and style of The Strokes, and the vibe of Motown have all been massive influences for me.

Jaz: Springsteen, Dylan, The Stones, Pulp, The Strokes, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Manic Street Preachers. The way they create songs, and mostly prolific writers or finishers of songs, where I’m not. They all write about things falling apart with a real laid back vibe.

How would you describe your sound to new listeners? What do you think sets you apart?

Scott: We’re writing catchy songs with meaning in a style we’d like to listen to. We’ve each got different influences which add something interesting to the mix and it seems to work.

What’s your creative process? Where do you normally start when it comes to writing and recording? Do the lyrics come first?

Jaz: Lyrics are always there but are formless without music. Music is the page the lyrics sit on, sometimes the lyrics don’t fit the page.

Scott: Between Jaz, Andreas and myself, we work on the music together, often switching instruments on demos. Once we’ve got a song idea in a place where we feel it is ready then we take it to rehearsal room with Mikey and Marc so we can learn to play / record.

Have you had any challenges or adversities in your life that you feel have shaped you as an artist?

Jaz: No more or less than the next human being but I don’t drink anymore.

Are there any moments or achievement from your career so far that you’re most proud of?

Jaz: Not sure.

Scott: Always looking for the next thing.

Which do you prefer, the creative process or live performance? Or do you enjoy both equally?

Jaz: The creative process is excruciating, always has been. It’s like being put on the rack.

Scott: Our live shows are incredible, the buzz of playing in front of an audience singing back our songs is like nothing else… but we wouldn’t be there without the creative process and time we have to put into writing beforehand.

Do you as an artist require fans to fully understand your message in each song or do you encourage subjective interpretation from every listener?

Jaz: Subjective. I write in themes, plug in for the main one sure, but then give it your own spin. Take it home, try it on, make it fit.

Does the political landscape have an impact on your music, or do you keep your personal opinions separate from your work as an artist?

Jaz: Of course. I write about people, the decisions they make and the things they believe.

What are your future plans? Any new songs/projects on the horizon?

Scott: We’re currently finishing a few more songs to form our next record which we’re recording in August and hope to release later this year… working and discussing plans with a label.

Our next show is in the main room at O2 Academy Islington on Thursday 24th July where you’ll be able to hear a few new songs for the first time – can’t wait!

“You Know Who You Are” is available now on all major streaming platforms

Listen to Modern Guilt and other similar artists on our Spotify Playlist ‘New Music Spotlight - Indie & Alternative’

Exclusive Interview: Modern Guilt

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