Gulp! Vinyl

Britainrsquos most exciting breakthrough band of recent years, Sports Team, have announced details of their second studio album Gulp, due for release on Friday 22nd July 2022 via Island Records. The first taste of Gulp came last night as Clara Amfo premiered the bandrsquos new single lsquoR Entertainmentrsquo as her Hottest Record in the World on BBC Radio 1. Gulp follows Sports Teamrsquos 2020 Mercury Prize nominated debut album Deep Down Happy, which charted at 2 in the UKrsquos Official Charts, achieving the biggest vinyl sales for a debut British artist in 2020.Signposting a bold and ambitious new era for the band, Sports Team explain that lsquoR Entertainmentrsquo explores ldquoThe packaging down of all human experience into entertainment, prompted by the infinite scroll through social feeds and the manic formlessness of the images we are hit with every day. Graphic news interrupted by ads for season 17 of The Bodyguard, news as a rubbernecking, passively waiting for the next drop of horror as we flick through recipes.rdquoSports Team are Alex Rice lead vocals, Rob Knaggs rhythm guitar vocals, Henry Young lead guitar, Oli Dewdney bass, Al Greenwood drums and Ben Mack keyboard percussion. Formed in 2016, the band released two EPs Winter Nets and Keep Walking before sharing their debut album Deep Down Happy in June 2020 to widespread critical acclaim, praised by The Times for their ldquoindomitable spirit and a refusal to take things too seriouslyrdquo and The Guardian for their ldquosharply observational lyrics skeweringthe mores of suburbiardquo.