The Return Of The Horrors

ShortList talks stalkers and stadium-sized potential with the psych rockers

“I had someone turn up at my doorstep from Australia once,” says The Horrors’ shock-haired frontman Faris Badwan. “Wherever I went for the rest of that week she turned up, but just watched me from the other side of the room.”

Bit creepy? Yes. But as the five-piece are currently gearing up to release their hotly tipped follow-up to 2011’s superb Skying, we think it might be time to crank that Facebook security up a notch.

The follow-up in question is called Luminous, and we can confirm it’s a 10-track cracker that sees The Horrors move even further from their neo-gothic roots. Teaser track I See You may be a hefty seven minutes long, but split into roughly one half Eighties synths and swirling guitar instrumental, it’s so gloriously Joy Division-esque you’ll hardly notice.

“Even if it took another two years, we wouldn’t have released it if we hadn’t all been happy with it,” Badwan tells us. “But now,” adds bassist Rhys Webb, “it’s got to that point where we’re like, ‘Let’s not ever go in the studio again – send us to a foreign country!’”

Look out for live dates soon, then. But, after supporting the likes of Arctic Monkeys, is a massive arena tour on the horizon?

“We’re definitely not the band who wants to remain obscure for obscureness’s sake. Probably the opposite. As long as it’s doing the thing we want to do,” says Webb.

Judging by the strength of Luminous, obscureness soon won’t be an option that’s open to them.

Luminous is out in May. New track I See You is available on iTunes now