The London duo’s debut single is an ode to the author Ursula K. Le Guin.

Unearthly melodies, moody vocals, and a hypnotic synth-pop beat makes for seven minutes of suspended bliss on The Itch’s debut single Ursula. Written as an homage to cult author Ursula K. Le Guin, the track explores themes of suffering and fulfilment – which are central to Le Guin’s legendary 1974 novel The Dispossessed – and sees the London duo compare the author’s work to their own generation’s hopes and dreams, ultimately updating Le Guin’s struggle for utopia for the modern day. 

Musically, the track offers a colossal soundscape that is as gripping as any white-knuckle thriller. Haunting synths and glitching electronics establish threads of tension throughout the track; the song simmering with suspense before booming into its heavy yet addictive centre.

Meanwhile the lyrical prowess of the London duo — consisting of Georgia Hardy and Simon Tyrie — is not only memorable and impossible to ignore, but also entirely screamable: “We can bitch about everything / We can put the world to rights / We could bring down the government / We could put their heads on spikes.”

Ursula is precisely in line with The Itch’s formidable live reputation. It’s a surging dance floor filler that has to be moved to, yet it still encapsulates the disillusionment of the younger generations, showing that this is a band who have mastered the style that is uniquely their own.

The Itch will be performing at a number of festivals this summer, including Wide Awake, Deer Shed, End of the Road and Latitude.

Ursula is out now via The Scratch.