New EP ‘NEGATIVE UTOPIA’ Out Now on Vinyl via 9×9 Records
Stream: https://thedsmiv.ffm.to/negativeutopia
2025 UK FAMILY JEWELS TOUR Headline Dates on Sale Now
Debut Album ‘NEW AGE PARANOIA’ Out Now via 9×9 Records
Stream: https://tr.ee/OdE4QCQUUf
Purchase: https://www.9x9records.co.uk/shop
Liverpool’s gothic alt-pop trio THE DSM IV return with their latest EP, ‘NEGATIVE UTOPIA,’ out now via 9×9 Records on vinyl and across all major digital platforms. Their latest single, PINK LADY, is also available now.
Stream: https://thedsmiv.ffm.to/pinklady
Fresh off the back of shows with HUMANIST, Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something, and ARXX, the band has announced a highly anticipated UK headline tour for early 2025, with newly added dates (see full list below).
Frontman Guy McKnight shares the inspiration behind PINK LADY: “This song is a tribute to Rae Pinx, a brilliant multidisciplinary artist who was tragically lost too soon. She was a photographer, tattoo artist, and a passionate music fan—especially of Bruce Springsteen. It’s one of the first tracks we wrote together as THE DSM IV.”
The single’s AA-side, PENNYWISE, is a deep cut from their debut album ‘NEW AGE PARANOIA,’ originally released in early 2024.
Formed in Liverpool in 2018 by former Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster frontman Guy McKnight, THE DSM IV create a world where the ultra-real meets the otherworldly. Their performances are a spectacle—blurring the lines between storytelling, performance art, and raw musicality.
McKnight’s theatrical delivery and poetic, incisive lyrics challenge the narratives fed to us by mass media, balancing sharp social critique with pulsating beats. Their music is a call to arms, a reflection on the chaos of modern life, and an electrifying live experience.
Drawing influences from film, art, and literature, the band’s unique aesthetic is matched by their unflinching exploration of dark themes, bringing a fresh perspective to alternative music. Guitarist Jade O’s roots in the notorious Grizedale Estate of Liverpool bring authenticity to their stories, while drummer Pav Cummins’ serendipitous recruitment—spotted shopping for denim—only adds to the band’s offbeat charm.
Their acclaimed debut album ‘NEW AGE PARANOIA,’ recorded at The Libertines’ Albion Rooms in Margate, cemented their place as one of the most innovative voices in alternative music today.
“Entertainment thrives on our fears,” McKnight reflects. “‘New Age Paranoia’ dissects how media manipulates us, making us question what’s real and what’s illusion.”
After keeping the momentum alive with their 2024 single White Wolf, THE DSM IV are set to explore new sonic territories with ‘NEGATIVE UTOPIA,’ an upcoming EP featuring unheard demos and remixes from their creative vault.
‘NEGATIVE UTOPIA’ is out now via 9×9 Records.
FAMILY JEWELS TOUR LIVE DATES:
20.02.25 – Coventry – The Tin @ The Coal Vaults (w/ Rats on Rafts)
21.02.25 – Nottingham – The Grove
23.02.25 – Todmorden – The Golden Lion
01.03.25 – Brighton – Green Door Store (co-headline w/ Baba Ali)
21.03.25 – Newcastle – Cumberland Arms
‘NEGATIVE UTOPIA’ EP Track list
- PINK LADY
- PRAY LIKE A FOOL
- WISE GUY
- RACIST MAN RMX
- ISOLATION
- PENNYWISE HOLOGRAM COWBOY RMX
THE DSM IV Online:
https://linktr.ee/thedsmiv
https://www.instagram.com/the_dsm_iv/
https://www.facebook.com/thedsm4
THE DSM IV Are:
Guy McKnight – Vocals, Lyrics
Jade Ormesher – Guitars, Bass
Pav Cummins – Drum Machine, Synths
More about ‘NEW AGE PARANOIA’
THE DSM IV’s debut album is an uncompromising statement on modern life—an intoxicating mix of poetry and intensity, where eerie dreamscapes collide with harsh realities. Their music examines how entertainment and media manipulate our perception of the world, feeding our fears while commodifying our morbid curiosities.
In an era where surveillance is ubiquitous and digital footprints trace our every move, THE DSM IV craft a soundscape that forces listeners to question everything. ‘NEW AGE PARANOIA’ is a mirror to society—dark, provocative, and impossible to ignore.
Stay paranoid.
AA Single ‘WISE GUY’/‘PENNYWISE’ Out Now:
Stream: https://thedsmiv.ffm.to/wiseguy-pennywise
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