''Risk To Exist'' is the sixth studio album by British

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...

band

Maxïmo Park Maxïmo Park are an English alternative rock band formed in 2000 in Newcastle upon Tyne. The band currently consists of Paul Smith (English singer), Paul Smith (lead vocals), Duncan Lloyd (guitar, bass, keyboards, backing vocals), and Tom Engli ...

. It was released on 21 April 2017 through their own Daylighting imprint as well as

Cooking Vinyl Cooking Vinyl is a British independent record label, based in Acton, London, England. It was founded in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt and his business partner Pete Lawrence. Goldschmidt remains the current owner an ...

. The album's lead single was first aired on the

Steve Lamacq Stephen Paul Lamacq (born 16 October 1964), sometimes known by his nickname Lammo (given to him by John Peel), is an English disc jockey, currently working with BBC Radio 6 Music. Lamacq was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire ( ...

show on BBC 6 Music on 19 January 2017.

Background and recording

On 14 October 2016, guitarist Duncan Lloyd announced that recording was almost complete on the band's sixth album, then untitled. Writing for the album took place primarily in the UK while recording took place at

Wilco Wilco is an American Rock music, rock band based in Chicago. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo after singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently during its fir ...

's The Loft studio in Chicago through Autumn 2016. The album was produced by Tom Schick, whose previous work includes

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and White Denim and was recorded entirely live. Mimi Parker from the USA band Low features on backing vocals on several tracks on the album.

Release

The album was released in several formats, including deluxe CD and digital editions, transparent vinyl and on tape cassette. Two music videos were produced for the title track and lead single 'Risk To Exist'- One a performance video directed by Steve Gullick, the other a montage of footage from Sky News and MOAS of the

European migrant crisis The 2015 European migrant crisis was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and Human migration, migrants into Europe, mostly from the Middle East. An estimated 1.3 million people came to the continent to request Right of asyl ...

, the political reaction to which underpins the song's lyrics. The latter video was edited by media company Caviar; profits from digital sales of the single were donated to charity.

Political content

The press release for the album's announcement described its lyrical content as being "informed by the dire state of world affairs in 2016 and crumbling political systems", a shift in lyrical focus vocalist Paul Smith was eager to justify. Accompanying some release bundles was a

zine A zine ( ; short for ''magazine'' or ''fanzine'') is, as noted on Merriam-Webster’s official website, a magazine that is a “noncommercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject ...

entitled ''Inspiration Information'', which made explicit the political nature of the album's lyrics, which heavily reference and comment upon the United Kingdom government austerity programme, its relation to the

British class system The social structure of the United Kingdom has historically been highly influenced by the concept of social class, which continues to affect British society today. British society, like its European neighbours and most societies in world history, ...

, and the backlash against the ongoing European migrant crisis which was seen by critics including Smith as dehumanising. Contents of the zine include essays by Smith on the politics of the album's lyrics, and the impact of changes to the DWP's policies under austerity on the severely disabled; an extract from The Establishment: And How They Get Away with It by British far left political commentator

Owen Jones Owen Jones (born 8 August 1984) is a left-wing British newspaper columnist, commentator, journalist, author and political activist. He writes a column for ''The Guardian'' and contributes to the ''New Statesman'', ''Tribune (magazine), Tribune ...

; and less political content, such as photographs by guitarist Duncan Lloyd, and drummer Tom English's notes on the band's change in sound to a more disco-influenced rhythm section.

Track listing

Personnel

;Maxïmo Park * Paul Smith – vocals * Duncan Lloyd – guitars * Lukas Wooller – keyboards * Tom English – drums ;Additional musicians * Mimi Parker – backing vocals on tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8 * Paul Rafferty – bass guitar

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2017 albums Maxïmo Park albums Cooking Vinyl albums