PHK reappears on his latest single, "I'm Not A Number I'm A Free Man," with an unapologetically independent attitude. The third solo album from Paul Hooper-Keeley, aka PHK, is a strident, triumphant rallying cry for anyone trapped by modern life's ceaseless grinding monotony.
Drawing from indie pop with healthy infusions of garage and alternative rock grit, the new single is a rebellion, a throwback, and a step forward. It throbs with urgency and frustration as one navigates a society that prizes systems over individuality. PHK's unvarnished vocal delivery is perhaps the most thrilling compliment to the song's punchy guitar riffs and a bassline that Tim Mitchell-Smith plays, all of which results in the song having a flesh and blood feel, as it rocks with a real sense of brotherhood in protest.
This is a proclamation. The human needs to be seen not as a stat or a cog in a machine but as a person with dreams and agency. This is a story part that PHK, always unflinching in his social commentary through music, attempts to capture here. Indebted to the track's bends toward weariness and its flicker of hope, the song helps us envision a world where escaping the mundane is no longer a fantasy. It's also a decent taster of what's in store from his forthcoming album, "You Should All Be Ashamed Of Yourselves," the successor of which will delve further into culture-biting, including ageism within music, narcissism, social media toxicity, and the London-centric gatekeeping that continues to hold the industry back.
PHK published this band post. PHK has been around the scene for years, playing in bands such as The Threads, Deep Six, and The Mark Three. But even then, his love for musical resistance has not abated. If anything, I'm Not A Number I'm A Free Man" feels like a rallying cry for every misfit creative still waiting to be heard. This is a soundtrack for standing up.