Vardy, better known as Private Reg, the Leeds-based musical legend, has unveiled a new EP. Much as the man himself, the record is a multi-faceted pleasure.

Private Reg the musical project is hard to pin down. There’s influences from lo-fi indie, UK garage, techo beats and dark hard emotion. The beats are intricate, irregular and they cut hard.

The title track, A Walton Frown, opens the EP and its a soulful slice of dance music. Frantic notes collide with mournful untamed cellos, creating a sound both visceral and haunting. 

With Vardy’s deep, soulful baritone riding relentless rhythms, echoes of Depeche Mode surface, tinged with the theatrical flair of Marc and the Mambas. The result is a sprawling, clever masterpiece—Private Reg and his companions truly dance to their own beat. 

Walton is of course a suburb of Chesterfield and Private Reg songs often highlight the impact of an area upon life.

However, I also liked the potential of the nod to the work of Kendall Walton, who considers the philosophy of art, and the representations of objects much as how a hobby horse might represent the real thing to a child. The make-believe theory. Woah, just wait a moment while I climb out of that particular worm hole.

You’re Like a Lawyer is as inspired as its title suggests: a dark, atmospheric Halloween anthem populated by sprites and vampires. A manic, scratchy “help me” scream threads through its blood-cold heart, leaving a chilling impression. 

It’s hard to pin down whether Private Reg is tongue-in-cheek or deadly serious, but that ambiguity is part of the fun.

Private Reg music thrives on exploration and inclusivity, and his gigs often erupt into joyous chaos, with a stage full of friends joining the fray. 

Do Little is a maelstrom of sound—frantic, unpredictable beats nibble at the eardrums like midges, while keys swarm and murmurate like restless starlings. It’s wild, unhinged, and utterly compelling. 

The EP closes with BlackInkBitesAgain, a magnificent reimagined version of an earlier disco-tinged track. Heavy use of auto-tune and flattened beats conjure a late-night club atmosphere, while the 222 remix adds a final flourish of intensity. 

Mix and mastering comes from the uber talented Evan J Martin, who along with Henry Wright also form the 222 remix geniuses. Henry along with Sampsa Renwick provide Cellos. Multi instrumentalist Fakie provides his services too.

* words by tiggerligger
* images the artists own