Released on Limited Edition Trans Blue Vinyl (300 Copies), CD and Digital – 11 th July 2025
“The poet laureate of glamorous wastrels” – CLASH magazine
“The UK’s 21st century answer to Patti Smith” – Tom Robinson
“A Trent Reznor/Lou Reed hybrid” – NME
Whip-smart, vituperative pop from the ‘poet laureate of glamorous wastrels’
Bristol’s acid-tongued empress of the tart one-liner Emily Breeze will release her new album
RATS IN PARADISE on July 11th – a joy-ridden masterpiece of, danceable, laugh-out-loud
synth-pop pathos, sparkling with brittle witticisms.
The title “RATS IN PARADISE” is from a song by one of my favourite bands, The Birthday
Party,” says Emily. “I always loved that idea – imagine rats with top hats and canes, dancing in the
gutter and having the time of their lives. Very suitable for my songs.
“The record feels camp, frothy and mildly ridiculous to me – sort of like a very English version of
a Tex Avery cartoon.”
Lead single ‘Fun’ – already a staple on BBC Radio 6 Music following enthusiastic early spins by
Craig Charles – sets the tone magnificently. Over a stonking sweaty groove our nihilistic heroine
mocks her own tendency to always put pleasure before business, sneaking in a pre-chorus ‘your
mum’ gag for the ages. “The lyric is just really dumb and fun, and every word is true – especially
the bit about your mum,” says Emily.
‘Dating A Model’ marries a gorgeous melody with a savagely funny pen-portrait of an idealised
partner, served with a side of weapons-grade sass and supporting cast of jealous lovers and
cocaine communists. “Vulgar as leopard print / cheap as confetti”’ is just one stand-out line
among dozens on ‘Forever Money’, a wistful slow-burner referencing everything from Sinatra to
cheap corner-shop wine and Only Fools And Horses. “I had also wanted to shoehorn Del Boy from
Only Fools and Horses’ immortal line ‘This time next year, we’ll be millionaires’ into a song for a
while, so that made it into the chorus,” explains Emily. “I was thinking about FairyTale of New
York, with those characters who have that sort of tragic delusional hope that I find so romantic and
relatable.”
As ever, Emily Breeze is at her brilliant best balancing the prosaic life of a party girl with high-
minded allusions to the great cosmic dance. “The ideal listening situation for Rats in Paradise
could be when you have just bet and lost your house and car and kids on a horse and you are
lighting up a Hamlet Cigar thinking ahhhhhh fuck it, never mind.”
And has these fine words to say about her band: “Rob Norbury, Andy Sutor, Helen Stanley and
George Caveney are amazing. I play rhythm guitar and all the beautiful arrangement parts on the
songs are by them apart from “Forever Money” which was me and Stew Jackson (producer) and
the reworking of “We Were Lovers” which is Ryan Rodgers from Mumble Tide and Stew.
“I consider myself very lucky to work with world class players who are also world class piss takers
and a really good laugh.”
Emily Breeze is one of the UK’s leading underground/cult artists. Known for her distinct brand of
pop noir which combines a punk attitude, powerful performance and a dark sense of humor. She
saw National recognition in 2022 when singles “Confessions Of An Ageing Party Girl” and
“Ordinary Life” were championed by BBC Radio 6 which resulted in being playlisted and a feature
interview with Craig Charles. Album Rapture saw a sold out Bristol album launch, a UK tour,
support slots for James and Sleaford Mods, a performance on Radio 4’s Loose Ends with Cive
Anderson and a remix from Daddy G (Massive Attack).
Follow up E.P Second Rodeo (2024) received the prestigious PRS Women Make Music fund and
was featured on round table with Huw Stephens alongside support from Steve Lamacq, Chris
Hawkins, Tom Robinson and Amy Lame (BBCR6) followed by another UK tour and a
collaboration with Rat Scabies (The Damned).
Emily has been described as “The UK’s 21st century answer to Patti Smith” (Tom Robinson)
“The poet Laureate of glamorous wastrels” (Clash Magazine) and a “Trent Reznor/Lou Reed
hybrid” (NME). Upcoming album Rats in Paradise produced by Stew Jackson (Massive Attack)
features her all star band Rob Norbury (lead guitar), Andy Sutor (drums), Helen Stanley
(keys/synth), George Caveney (bass) and sees Emily’s tragicomic style in full force.
A world in which deadbeats, dreamers and beautiful losers are dancing through the night to a
soundtrack of prom night synth pop, obnoxious rock and gothic disco.
“Rats In Paradise” is released by Sugar Shack Records 11 th July 2025, distributed by
Shellshock/Proper and available from good retailers worldwide.
Track Listing:
1. Romance Is Dead
2. Fun
3. Dating A Model
4. Forever Money
5. Yesterday’s Parties
6. 1997
7. Anatomy
8. The Beatniks
9. We Were Lovers Redux
10. Graceland