Wrought emotion conveyed through instrumentals in a way that no other band can touch.
Mogwai are back. 2025 sees the Scottish noise outfit celebrate thirty years as a creative force and The Bad Fire is a boisterous celebration of the group. The record is a follow-up to Mogwai’s first-ever chart-topper, 2021’s As The Love Continues, which inspired a grassroots online campaign to get the Glasgow band on Top of the Pops.
Following up on a number one album is a dilemma any band would love to reckon with, and Mogwai’s approach is exactly what you might expect. Through three decades of being true to themselves, The Bad Fire is Mogwai continuing their dogged strive for creative consistency. They make exactly what they want to make, in their own immovable way.
What might have started life as an uplifting celebration of their newfound chart success quickly changed: guitarist and keyboardist Barry Burns’ daughter faced a life-threatening illness (one that she is thankfully past the worst of), and the theme of despair and overwhelming turmoil create a narrative for The Bad Fire. The name itself is a Glaswegian colloquialism for hell, something which the LP fronts up to with glimmers of persistent hope.
This is Mogwai’s creative response to facing the very worst of times, the brooding dread which permeates their discography feels more intense here. ‘Hi Chaos’ is a prime example of this; tempestuous synths and bold, blossoming drums undercut mazy guitar. The piece builds slowly, as Mogwai’s best often do, burgeoning into a wrought crescendo of post-rock noise. The cut feels riddled with anxiety before wailing, fuzzy guitar comes in at the top. It is Mogwai doing exactly what they do best.
‘What Kind of Mix is This’ offers more of the same. Layers of sonic sludge grow from an emotive riff, once more building and burning slow. It’s cinematic as it evolves – big stabs of synth and guitar sound like Mogwai are raising the dead through riffs alone. It’s dark and languishing, but the gloom is immediately countered by a gorgeous piano part, acting as a ray of sunshine through the sonic storm laid out by Mogwai.
A theme of the Mogwai discography is brilliant song titles, several of which are on display here. Whilst they may seem throwaway nonsense on initial reading, it becomes apparent that these titles are perfect for what Mogwai do: ‘Pale Vegan Hip Pain’ gives you almost nothing to go on, leaving the intricate musicality to speak for itself.
Recent single, ‘Fanzine Made of Flesh’ is a prime example in a cut that is Mogwai at their most accessible. ‘Fanzine’ maintains the themes of melancholy, but there is distinct hope in this number – like much of The Bad Fire, this song fronts up to darkness and shows the listener the light at the end of the tunnel. As verses pivot to choruses, a distinct willpower and human spirit prevails. The album as a whole is a beautiful piece of art-rock; a collection affirming that yes, you can do it, we can all make it in the face of absolute adversity.
While ‘If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others’ may be a depressingly relevant song title for the modern world, Mogwai stay committed to the theme of improbable optimism. Through decades of experience, the band can convey such wrought emotions through deft touches of guitar, intricate tones are woven around percussion that is pregnant with intense melancholy. The cut is another that flowers into a monolith – there is not another band operating today that can create such emotionally intense songs without uttering a word. It is a testament to the sheer quality of musicianship present in Mogwai.
The Bad Fire is some of the band’s best ever work, and the power of this record can’t be overstated. They have long held a position as statesmen of noise rock, and the new album further compounds their position at the top of the tree.
featured image: Steve Gullick
