Review: Blitz Vega’s single ‘Disconnected’

Andy-Rourke_credit_Kav_Sandhu — Andy Rourke Photo by Kav Sandhu

By Jess Joy, Rock At Night Toronto

Review: Blitz Vega’s New Single ‘Disconnected’ (Out Feb 23 2024)

So many factors go into what makes a person love a particular song, but one of those things must certainly be the way the music can make us feel. And Blitz Vega’s new single ‘Disconnected,’ off upcoming album Northern Gentlemen set to be released in April, is a catchy encapsulation of an all too common feeling in this modern age.

Blitz Vega is a project launched in November 2016 by the late Andy Rourke (bassist from The Smiths) & KAV (former Happy Mondays guitarist). It’s no surprise then, that ‘Disconnected’ is a supremely catchy but longing and lyrically engaging piece of music. Modernized synths, driving but bittersweet chord progressions, strong lead guitar phrasing, and powerful chorus harmonies merge together to evoke the feelings associated with the title word.

Choruses with lyrics like ‘I want to be feeling/I want to be touching/I want to be kissing…” could lead you to believe this is a love song, but in the context of the verses, I think it’s more like a plea for human interaction. The song addresses a ‘you’ in the verses that could be personifying a generation stuck in their phones. The lyricist does a great job of leaving mystery in the lyrics but gives us enough evidence to understand a general idea of concern for a digital age. I love the line ‘all these pictures seem so familiar’ it’s certainly something I’ve felt when scrolling through social media.

This single is a promise for more great music to come. But sadly, Northern Gentlemen will be a posthumous album for Andy who succumbed to pancreatic cancer on May 19, 2023. May he rest in peace. This song, and the upcoming album, certainly attests to the power and impact Andy had and continues to have on the music industry.

The future of Blitz Vega post-Andy is a future Kav and band haven’t decided on yet. “I have no idea about writing new music as Blitz Vega,” he replies. “We are just taking one step at a time. We definitely want to release all the music we recorded and go on tour. I promised this to Andy.”

Whether you see them or not, go bless your ears with this wonderful track off what’s sure to be an excellent new album.