Dirty Nice have returned with ‘Better If We Don’t’, a gently woozy new single that previews their third album Planet Weekend, due 23rd May via Chiverin Records.
Blending lo-fi indie production with glitchy synth flourishes and a soft, introspective tone, the track stays true to the duo’s surrealist cartoon-pop aesthetic. “A Fortune Telling from Planet Weekend: An old flame returns, stirring feelings long buried. Rekindle the spark and risk the burn, or protect your heart and walk away. The choice is yours,” the band offer by way of explanation.
Currently split between London and Lisbon, Dirty Nice – the project of Charlie Pelling and Mark Thompson – have built a cult following with their DIY animations, psychedelic sound palette and knack for playful escapism. Their upcoming LP is styled as an amusement park-inspired concept record, complete with tongue-in-cheek skits and track titles like ‘What If Love Was A Slot Machine?’ and ‘Attraction #1 (Alien Abduction!)’.
Their first two singles from the album, ‘Another Life’ and ‘What I Wanna Hear’, received early support from BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music, with plays from Sian Eleri, Alyx Holcombe and Chris Hawkins. They’ve also picked up press from titles including DORK, DIY, The Line of Best Fit, and Rolling Stone.
Known for scoring the cult animation series Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Pelling’s distinctive creative voice feeds directly into Dirty Nice’s warped visual world. Florence Pugh recently named the band as a favourite on the VOGUE podcast, while collaborations with Wet Leg and Desta French have helped widen their sonic reach.
Dirty Nice will bring Planet Weekend to life with a headline UK tour this October, following a stop at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Liverpool on 25th May.
Editors’ Picks
- ★★★★☆ Peach Pit at Manchester Academy review | There’s power in the sadness
Canadian indie crew Peach Pit combine melancholy and mischief in a magnetic Manchester Academy set. - How long should a gig really be?
As concerts grow longer and ticket prices soar, is value for money distorting what live performance should be? - ★★★★☆ The Crux review | Joe Keery balances reflection and roleplay on third Djo album
Joe Keery leans into limbo with The Crux, a psychedelic and reflective album that blurs fiction and self, nostalgia and futurism. - R.E.M., The Smiths, Nirvana – who might reunite next?
If Oasis is possible, is anyone off the table? Here are the reunions we’d love to see next. - ★★★★☆ Glory review | Perfume Genius tones down the distortion, turns up the intimacy
The new Perfume Genius album shows restraint, intimacy, and moments of heart-wrenching clarity. - Why, 20 years later, Dig! is still the ultimate music doc
As Dig! returns to cinemas, we revisit the chaos, creativity and collapse at the heart of a cult classic. - Overwhelmed? A guide to music’s most daunting discographies
Some bands release albums faster than you can listen to them. Here’s how to navigate the most overwhelming discographies in music history, from Johnny Cash to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
Keep up to date with the best in UK music by following us on Instagram: @whynowworld and on Twitter/X: @whynowworld
- 2025 Album Releases
- BBC Radio 1
- Better If We Don’t
- Dirty Nice
- DIY Animation
- Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared
- Glitch Pop
- Planet Weekend
- UK Indie Pop
