Divorce – ‘Drive to Goldenhammer’ album review: a sprawling organic offering that refuses to remain still

Name: Divorce - Drive to Goldenhammer
Rating: 4

Ben Forrest

Fri 7 March 2025 9:28, UK

Divorce - 'Drive to Goldenhammer'

THE SKINNY: Diversity is becoming increasingly difficult to find within British independent music. Seemingly, once everybody realised that the guitar-heavy sounds of post-punk were the easiest route to success, all hope for experimentation went out of the window. Aggressive guitar tones and shouted lyrics might reflect the times, but it is important to have some light with all that moody shade. Thankfully, this week sees the release of Drive to Goldenhammer, the debut release by Nottingham outfit Divorce, which features an awe-inspiringly broad range of influences, drawing upon everything from nature-centric folk songs to the expansive world of grunge and shoegaze.

Music is almost always influenced by the environment in which it was created. For this album, the band shipped off to the rolling green hills and pastoral isolation of North Yorkshire, recording at the recording studio The Calm Farm. This environment certainly had an impact on the final album, which is awash with a sense of nature and organic creation. From the opening track, you get a definite sense that the band were bouncing off of each other in the studio, imbuing the music with a sense of spontaneity and fun without sacrificing artistic quality.

Going into this album blind, it is incredibly easy to forget that this is the first full-length release by Divorce. From the offset, its quality and confidence evoke a band with years of experience and songwriting expertise. It is a brave album, consistently unafraid to take risks and switch up the inherent mood of the record between songs. At the same time, the band rarely stay in the same place for too long, going from the gentle vulnerability of the opening track to grunge-inspired efforts like ‘Jet Show’ and even cinematic tracks like ‘Where Did You Go’. You could say a lot of things about this album, but you could never claim it to be repetitive or uninteresting.

At the heart of the album’s appeal is often the contrasting vocals of Tiger Cohen-Towell and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow, the two primary singers of the group. Cohen-Towell’s light, ethereal tones are often set against the baritone of Mackenzie-Barrow, culminating in a compelling and endearingly calm atmosphere. Showcasing the diversity of their talents, however, each of these vocalists has multiple moments of power and authority on the album, too. Its natural influences certainly form highlights, but there is more than enough guitar distortion and aggressive soundscapes to keep listeners happy, too.

For fans of: Countryside walks in battered old mountain boots but spending your evenings drinking cider in a sweaty gig venue.

A concluding comment from the ghost of William Wordsworth: “It is a joy to see that the natural beauty of England still inspires writers, all these years later. However, I would point out that I managed to do it without all the distorted guitars and colourful language.”

Drive to Goldenhammer track by track:

Release date: March 7th | Producer: Catherine Marks | Label: Gravity Records/Capitol Records

‘Antarctica’: From the offset, you get a sense of the organic nature of this record. Its gentle nature and authenticity make it an endearing listen that ushers in the spring months, and it already seems unbelievable that this is a debut album. [4/5]

‘Lord’: Expanding upon their sound, Divorce retains the vulnerability of the album’s opener while incorporating a more grandiose, upbeat, and almost pop-centric sound. This makes for an enjoyable listen, although it struggles to stand out from the rest of the tracklisting. [3/5]

‘Fever Pitch’: Featuring a kind of intensity and darting spontaneity, the band refuse to remain within one particular sound or idea, making the album a diverse and compelling listening experience. At the heart of their appeal on this track is the contrasting vocals between Tiger Cohen-Towell and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow. [3.5/5]

‘Karen’: Opening into an intimate, acoustic offering from Cohen-Towell, the beginning of the sound espouses the band’s aptitude for quieter, emotional offerings. Meanwhile, the eruption of the second half demonstrates both their ability to quickly alter the mood of a song and their unwaveringly expansive sound. [4.5/5]

‘Jet Show’: Within the lyrics of this song, Divorce discuss melting faces and “ripping all the chains off”, and those themes are certainly reflected in its sound, which forms one of the most overtly abrasive and rock-oriented efforts on the album. [4/5]

‘Parachuter’: Switching up the mood of the record once again, Divorce revert back to a fairly gentle and optimistic offering. Throughout the album, the band dart from moments of intensity and sonic menagerie to these moments of sunshine, keeping things fresh and preventing the record from becoming too heavy-going. [3.5/5]

‘All My Freaks’: Those expecting a Halloween-themed cover of LCD Soundsystem will be disappointed with this track, but those looking for a poppy, upbeat anthem that stays true to the artistic principles of Divorce will be delighted. [4/5]

‘Hangman’: Each song included on this debut album aids in building a universe around Divorce, developing their sound and adding layers of intrigue to their existence. This song is not the most memorable from the record, but its lyrical quality and authentic performance still make it a triumph for the band. [3/5]

‘Pill’: Opening with an unexpected but not unwelcome flirt with synths and electronica, the band delve into an expansive five-minute epic, which forms an undeniable highlight on the debut album. More experimental than much of their previous work, bordering on psychedelia at points, ‘Pill’ offers a new side to Divorce, as well as incredible excitement for their future. [4.5/5]

‘Old Broken String’: As we near the end-point of Drive to Goldenhammer, Divorce slow things down once again. Stripped back, emotional, and understated, this melancholic track is certainly befitting of its title. [3.5/5]

‘Where Did You Go’: A powerful, almost cinematic offering with ultimate focus placed on Cohen-Towell’s vocals, the song adds yet another layer to the atmosphere presented on this album. Clearly, the band were not willing to let off the accelerator when reaching the final moments of the tracklisting. [3/5]

‘Mercy’: Reverting back to the simple, gentle nature of the album opener, Divorce go back to their country-inspired roots, featuring lush harmonising vocals and the comforting strumming of an acoustic guitar. [3.5/5]