Get ready to turn the volume up—Duncan Lloyd is back with a bang. The Maxïmo Park guitarist and all-around sonic explorer has just dropped Laugh So Loud, the first single from his upcoming solo album ‘Unwound,’ set to arrive July 11 via Reveal Records. It’s got fuzz, fire, and that raw emotional punch that hits just right.
Laugh So Loud doesn’t just roll in quietly—it storms the gates. There’s a blistering energy to it, a feeling of trying to keep it together while the world spins out of control. “It’s about doubt,” Duncan explains. “That quiet pretending that everything’s fine, when inside, things are anything but.”
The track features a searing guest spot from Joe Boyer (Cloud Nothings, Autopolitan), whose guitar work adds even more bite to Lloyd’s already gripping sound. Imagine a cathartic blast of early ’90s grit with a bridge that nods to those introspective Midwest bands—you’ll get the vibe.
The video (directed by JTW with Super-8 footage by Freya Frenesi) is just as adrenalized, adding a lo-fi visual punch to the song’s urgent themes. It’s got that DIY spirit that feels totally in sync with the track’s emotional push-and-pull.
If you’ve been following Lloyd’s journey outside of Maxïmo Park, you’ll know he’s no stranger to going deep. Over the past few years, he’s released a slew of introspective, genre-skipping records, including the sprawling ‘Green Grows Devotion’ collection and the ‘Fun City’ EP trilogy. But ‘Unwound’ feels like a new chapter: rawer, more immediate, and dripping with personal truth.
The album itself is a 12-track dive into mood and melody, all wrapped up in Lloyd’s signature blend of beautiful chaos. Some tracks were laid down at Analogue Catalogue Studios in Ireland with Julie McLarnon (The Vaselines, Lankum), while others were recorded in Lloyd’s own studio in Newcastle. Along the way, he brought in some familiar faces—Maxïmo Park’s Tom English on drums, keyboardist Jemma Freese, and of course, the aforementioned Joe Boyer.
Fun fact: the album cover comes from Lloyd’s own paintings, giving the whole project a handcrafted, from-the-ground-up feel.
And while Unwound is deeply personal, it still reflects Duncan’s collaborative spirit—this is a guy who’s worked with the likes of Paul Epworth, Gil Norton, Nick Launay, Tony Allen (Africa Express), and a host of other sonic trailblazers. He’s constantly moving, constantly creating—and Unwound is the latest proof of that restless creativity.
If Laugh So Loud is anything to go by, Unwound is going to be one hell of a ride.
UNWOUND – Tracklist
- Gothic Pill
- I’m On It
- One Step Closer To The Dam
- Swim
- Bright Field
- Radio Silent
- Laugh So Loud
- Together, So To Speak
- Lightning Bottle
- Rituals
- Thin Place
You can stream Laugh So Loud now on all your favourite platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp—take your pick), and the full album drops July 11.
Don’t sleep on this one.
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