Contrasting between bright melodies and more despondent lyrics, Deadman is the hooking new single from Tebi Rex.

Irish duo Tebi Rex tease more of their upcoming album, It’s Gonna Be Okay, as they share another single off it in the form of Deadman, a track that hides despondency and hopelessness under a facade of upbeat melodies and radiant guitars. The duo continue to build their own brand of sound with the track, fusing together elements of hip-hop, pop-punk and rap to create something that’s relatable yet distinguishable. Offering a refreshed taste of existing genres for the modern taste, Tebi Rex have nailed down a sound that will hold a wide appeal and remain lodged within your head.

In Deadman, the thrumming basses and sunny guitars create an image of something positive and hopeful, as swaying backing vocals further soothe and add an element of seeming optimism. However, as the words ‘fuck it if I die, ‘cause fuck it that’s life’ punches through at the end of the first verse, you’ll realise that all is not as it seems; what lies beneath is an uncensored, turbulent and volatile core that allows vulnerability to surface in the unbarred display of emotions. As the band themselves explain, “This is us at our most angry, most frustrated, most hopeless. Which is funny because we made sure it sounded really upbeat. Like someone having a breakdown desperately trying and failing to convince themselves that it’s going to be okay.”