A new Red London album is on the horizon.
This news really makes me sit up and take notice with excitement, as the band's music has been a part of my life since the 90s.
Formed in Sunderland in 1981 and named after a Sham 69 song, Red London are veterans of the Oi!/street punk scene and should be a household name for anyone who holds this music close to their heart.
Here is the latest offering from this cult band from the UK—*Keeping It Real*—released on Contra Records for the first time.
It marks their fourth studio album since the band’s revival eight years ago.
There have been no lineup changes this time around; all the musicians from the previous album are back on board.
The title gives a hint of the direction they’re taking, and—as you’d expect—the cover art is deliberately understated. And the music?
The album picks up seamlessly where its excellent predecessor left off, with a sound that leans a bit more towards rock in places.
The opening track, "Sun Don’t Shine," hits with real impact right from the start.
There’s a cool reggae track called "Not Just A Number," as well as a great cover of the Angelic Upstarts’ "You’re Nicked," featuring Olaf from Stage Bottles on saxophone.
The album offers a mix of heavier and mellower songs, ensuring plenty of variety.
Two of the ten tracks are re-recordings of older songs, though you’d only notice if you were already in the know. Lyrically, the songs cover classic themes: working-class life, a changing society, friendship, loss, growing older within the subculture, and even—simply—football, as heard on the sing-along anthem "Football Chants." That touch of melancholy—undoubtedly part of Red London’s DNA—resonates quietly once again, while Patty "The Icon" Smith’s charismatic voice gives the music its distinctive character. The whole package is thoroughly impressive, and the new album makes me feel right at home again. You can clearly hear the sheer joy of playing and the passion the band pours into their music. The title track, "Keeping It Real," and the spirited "Downtown Riot" are perhaps my personal favorites on this consistently cool record. The guys in Red London have truly mastered the art of creating a soundtrack for street-level romance without veering too far into cliché. Ultimately, we are presented with a stylish album that is—in the best sense of the word—classic. When you order Red London, you get Red London, and that is excellent news. Naturally, anyone who appreciates an authentic, old-school British sound needs to check this out. Even younger listeners who don't share my slightly nostalgic perspective should definitely give it a listen; after all, this is—and remains—music for connoisseurs.

My two cents, Basti Oile (c) Contra Records 2026