Single Review: Billy Elliot - Sorry

Coming off their third album, “Cosplay”, released at the end of last year is Sorry’s next single “Billy Elliot".

Sorry are a band from North London signed to Domino. Many have struggled to sort them into a clear genre, and I won’t attempt to do so either. Their sound is an eclectic mix of different elements drawn from a range of inspirations - a grungy guitar here, a jazzy drum beat there - that are blended seamlessly together to create a sound that is uniquely them. They put me in mind of Young Fathers, another band whose sound is so distinctive and expansive, sticking any one genre label on them feels reductive.

With this new track “Billy Elliot", a heaviness and melancholy hangs over the song. The opening vocals even sound like a child singing a morbid nursery rhyme. They’re sung with such a light melody, and without any effects, that they almost border on spoken word.

I interpret the song as the story of someone who’s struggled with dark thoughts and depression since childhood, and so, when the stomping bassline and drumbeat comes in at the chorus, it feels like the repetitive and tiresome effort needed to push through these difficult periods. Each hit of the kick drum is another day to get through, quickly followed by the next, and the next, and the next.

Sorry’s lead vocalist Asha Lorenz helps reinforce the emotional storytelling with her singing. There’s a line that stood out to me in particular - “Hurts as the way you are”. As she sings this, there’s a slight crack in her voice, like someone about to break down into tears. It feels like a very intentional performance, where thought has been put into how to convey the emotion of each lyric.

As the song progresses, you get to experience the classic melting pot of sounds Sorry has become known for. During one break in the vocals, a lone synth string comes in that carries on through the rest of the song. As the track closes out, a screeching, guitar riff kicks off, that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Royal Blood song. It’s elements like these that makes Sorry a great band to come back to - there’s always new details to pick out on each re-listen.

Sorry’s last album was one of my favourites of 2025, so I am unbelievably happy to already be getting new music from them this soon. I’ve got all my fingers crossed that there’s more still to come.

Keep up with Sorry's latest releases and gigs: https://www.instagram.com/sorrybanduk/?hl=en