Happy Accidents – Edit Undo | Album Review

Originally peddling the scrappy indie punk optimized for sweat-caked walls and sticky floors, Happy Accidents have long been a creature ever-evolving. Edit Undo see’s the duo further shifting and maturing.

London-based pair Rich Mandell (guitar/vocals) and Phoebe Cross (drums/vocals), aka Happy Accidents, have always been a creative entity bound by integrity and authenticity. Their methodology has also long embodied and proved this. Belonging to the rich ecosystem that’s home to acts such as Fresh, Supermilk, Cheerbleederz, Me Rex, Martha and others of their ilk, the duo’s work has always embodied the nature of staying true to oneself whilst shunning whatever cheap gimmick is plaguing the indie punk scene at the time. And if anything, the musical transformation across their discography thus far has always mirrored the band’s evolution as creatives and people with relatable clarity. From the teenage rebellion of their 2016 debut to the more measured genre defiance of 2022’s cgwarmth, each record has been both a snapshot of life presented via tailored indie-punk soundscapes. Edit Undo continues this trend in a way that’s wholly enjoyable.

The pleasant introduction to this record that is the trio of tracks ‘Infinite Possibilities’, ‘Blink’ and ‘Dog Day’ encapsulates not just the tone and presentation of Edit Undo, but also brilliantly presents how the album is once again a product of the band’s adherence to authentic integrity. A continuation of the more morose and brilliantly breezy indie punk that was presented in the band’s last record and 2020’s Sprawling, these tracks harken towards a more matured and well-rounded sound that still resonates the drive that has propelled the band from their offset. Yet it also brilliantly displays the band’s ablity to truthfully articulate the quiet and lonesome stagnation many of us feel come the arrival of true adulthood. Like the conundrums of every day living post optimistic youth, these tracks are subtle, supple and require a level of consideration and focus to be truly enjoyed.

However, what these tracks don’t play host to is the genre dynamism of Edit Undo. Happy Accidents’ last record may have seen the duo entertain new electronic and synth motifs, but here, they are employed and utilised to their fullest extent. However, that’s not to say that they are pushed to the forefront of the band’s sound – such a forced presentation would be at odds with their methodology. Instead, whilst such motifs play a major part of this record, they are presented with delicate finesse that compliments their fuzzy indie-punk. Whilst ‘Forgive Me’ might raise an eyebrow with its almost nostalgic 80s synth-pop delivery, the fantastic ‘All Around’ and ‘Makes No Difference’ prove the band’s ability to heavily incorporate new textures into their balanced sound whilst never comprising the band’s punk foundation. The fashion in which throbbing synths and delicate keys meld with warming vocal harmonies within the former being instantly lovable, the ghostly synth whispering of the latter wonderfully contemplating its fuzzy angst.

As the record comes to its finish with the sleazy-yet-stressed guitar tone of ‘Awful’, the noodling fretwork of ‘What’s Left’ and the brilliant juxtaposition between airy synths and weighty anxiety of finale ‘Be Afraid’, it’s impossible not to find Edit Undo charming, if not fascinating and lovable. Whilst those wishing for something spryly indulgent may not find what they want here, and whereas the ultimate spoils of Edit Undo lie with those who have witnessed this band’s growth over the years, Edit Undo is a record that carries universal appeal, an album that can be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in delicately thoughtful art that’s authentic as it is masterfully composed and crafted. Whilst true happiness may not be guaranteed here given its subtle melancholy, to miss this record would be an unhappy accident.