Mandy, Indiana: URGH [Album Review]

Mandy, Indiana
URGH
Sacred Bones Records [2026]

“Raw, relentless, and unapologetically confrontational — URGH refuses to look away.”

Album Overview: Mandy, Indiana started in Manchester back in 2017 when vocalist Valentine Caulfield and guitarist Scott Fair met at a show where their old bands were playing. Caulfield grew up in Paris studying classical music and opera from age five before discovering punk and alternative stuff. Fair had just moved to Manchester from Chester looking for better music opportunities. They clicked immediately, with Fair making instrumental tracks and Caulfield adding French vocals and spoken word. The band was originally called Gary, Indiana but switched to Mandy because it sounded better. Synth player Simon Catling and drummer Alex Macdougall fill out the lineup.

URGH is Mandy, Indiana’s second album and their Sacred Bones Records debut. Ten tracks, about 35 minutes, and it’s a record that demands your full attention from start to finish. It’s experimental for sure but way edgier compared to their debut. In fact, URGH pushes this band to new extremes in every good way. If you were already a fan, this record will immediately become the new bar for Mandy, Indiana. Even the album artwork featuring an anatomical drawing by Andreas Vesalius from artist Carnovsky screams pushing limits. Most lyrics are in French except the closing track, so don’t expect to sing along – just immerse yourself in their world.

Musical Style: The sound mixes industrial rock, noise, techno, and electronic body music into something relentless and heavy. Fair’s guitars screech like machinery while Catling’s synths provide harsh noise and actual melodies. Macdougall’s drumming hits hard and never lets up. Caulfield’s vocals get distorted and chopped but still carry serious emotion. “Cursive” feels like club music with an industrial edge, while “Life Hex” uses feedback loops and hypnotic repetition. The production by Fair and Daniel Fox from Gilla Band sounds raw and immediate. The band references old industrial acts and post punk but throws in hip hop elements on “Sicko!” featuring billy woods. It’s aggressive, mechanical, and urgent from start to finish.

Evolution of Sound: Compared to i’ve seen a way, this album is way more direct and confrontational. The debut had ambient sections and a dreamy, cinematic quality. URGH ditches that for pure intensity. Everyone contributed to songwriting this time instead of just Caulfield and Fair running things. Catling’s synths became central, creating melodies instead of just texture. The vocals feel rawer and more present. Everything about this record feels more physical and less escapist than before.

Artists with Similar Fire: Mandy, Indiana share DNA with Gilla Band’s noisy, abrasive rock approach. Model/Actriz brings similar industrial intensity and political fury. Einstürzende Neubaten’s early metallic percussion experiments are in there. Public Image Ltd’s Flowers of Romance era has that tense, rhythmic focus. Water From Your Eye’s electronic chaos matches their energy. Special Interest’s mix of punk, industrial, and dance music hits the same spot. I would even through in more classic groups like Ministry and The Prodigy for their intensity.

Pivotal Tracks: “Magazine” might be the most important song here. It opens with sputtering beats before exploding as Caulfield confronts her rapist in French. It’s a powerful track. “Cursive” is the most club ready thing they’ve done, starting hypnotic then transforming into industrial disco halfway through. “Sicko!” featuring billy woods brings in gabber beats and fizzing synths over hip hop verses. “ist halt so” references Gaza protests and resistance movements, shifting from creepy samples to grinding industrial to full drum and bass chaos. The closing track “I’ll Ask Her” is the only English song, directly calling out rape culture and toxic masculinity over disturbing, dissonant production.

Lyrical Strength: Caulfield tackles heavy topics without sugar coating anything. She writes about sexual assault, systemic injustice, genocide, and personal pain. On “Magazine” she threatens her rapist directly. “ist halt so” pushes for solidarity against violence. “I’ll Ask Her” breaks down the excuses people make for protecting abusers, repeating phrases like “boys will be boys” until they sound disgusting. The fact that most songs are in French lets her be raw and direct without sounding preachy. You feel the anger even without understanding every word. She’s not trying to be poetic or vague. The lyrics match the music’s intensity and refuse to look away from what’s ugly.

Final Groove: URGH earns its 4/5 by being exactly what it needs to be right now. This album doesn’t mess around. Mandy, Indiana made something angry, honest, and powerful without losing what makes music exciting. The production hits hard, the performances are committed, and the songs stick with you. Sure, it’s harsh and confrontational, but that’s the point. The band channeled trauma and rage into something that actually matters. It works as protest music, cathartic release, and just straight up intense electronic rock. If you want something safe, look elsewhere. But if you want music that has something to say and isn’t afraid to scream it, URGH delivers.

MANDY, INDIANA LINKS
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