F  L  A  U  N  T

Here in America, we have a long history of importing young, floppy-haired musicians from across the pond. Out on the horizon, Declan McKenna is making the long journey over, with a satchel full of delightful tunes slung over his shoulder. Although we’ve heard plenty of these Brits before, and in recent years, might have come to expect a certain sort of mainstream sound from the biggest names, there isn’t anyone who sounds quite like McKenna. He’s been joyfully singing along to the sound of his own strange and fantastic drum from the very start of his career. McKenna’s debut single “[Brazil](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHgh77iE6qc),” released in 2014, eschewed the angst of teen heartbreak and rowdy parties, and focused instead on FIFA’s controversial handling of that year’s World Cup. His music videos frequently portray him floating through a dreamy, digital landscape, smiling and content in his fantasy world. As he comes up on the release of his sophomore album “[Zeroes](https://smarturl.it/DeclanZeros)," set to be released on August 21st, it’s good to know that McKenna has kept to his usual antics, even as his music matures and grows. Last year he dropped “[British Bombs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWAO3ZGFZys),” a rocky track that criticizes UK foreign policy, and his last music video, for “[Beautiful Faces](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0CoBwKNhIo),” once again has him lost in a CGI world as socks cascade down upon him. Today, he’s releasing his latest video, accompanying the song “The Key To Life On Earth.” It features McKenna going about his life as look-a-like actor, Alex Lawther, channels all the ominous energy he brought to his roles in “Black Mirror” and “The End of the F\*\*\*ing World.” Of the song, McKenna said, “‘The Key To Life On Earth’ reflects on mundanity and hostility. I suppose it’s set in suburbia, much like my hometown. The video sees two people, who are very similar, in conflict with each other, and I think that’s the simplest analogy for the song’s purpose.” Check out the new track below! * * * Photo Credit: Jeff Hahn, Joe Magowan