The Itch have shared new single ‘Drugdealer’, the latest preview of their forthcoming debut album It’s The Hope That Kills You.
Due for release on 10th April 2026, the album follows a surge of attention around the band’s high-intensity live shows. Their late-night set at The Great Escape last year quickly gained word-of-mouth status, while recent performances at St Moritz Club in Soho have offered audiences an early glimpse of new material.
‘Drugdealer’ arrives with an intentionally provocative title, though its core is closer to a love song than anything more sinister. Built around a steady electronic pulse, the track expands into a widescreen arrangement that nods to the emotional sweep of classic synth pop.
Its cinematic build has drawn comparisons to the hypnotic minimalism of Suicide and the theatrical grandeur of Ultravox’s ‘Vienna’.
Songwriter Tyrie says the idea emerged from a fascination with metaphor-driven songwriting. “I was listening to a lot of Elton John and Bernie Taupin songs at the time of writing and really wanted to write something that dealt with metaphor in the way ‘Rocket Man’ or ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ does. The idea of a love song from the perspective of a drug dealer came to me while I was buying cigarettes for a friend at Wide Awake Festival.”
The track was co-produced alongside James Greenwood, also known for his work under the name Ghost Culture.
A new video accompanies the release. Directed by Tyrie, it combines camcorder footage and still photographs collected during tours and club nights curated by the duo, offering a lo-fi visual diary of the band’s recent journey.
It’s The Hope That Kills You lands on 10th April 2026. ‘Drugdealer’ is out now.
