Marrying the pleasure with the pain, A THOUSAND MAD THINGS is the solo synth artist William Barradale who finds solace in untempered expression.

He has already impressed by opening for THE HUMAN LEAGUE earlier this year on Brighton Beach while thanks to a licensing deal, he is also label mates at Nettwerk Music Group with LADYTRON. ‘Cry & Dance’ is the debut EP release from A THOUSAND MAD THINGS and takes listeners on a shadowy journey through adolescent memories, queer love and loneliness.

With his haunted demeanour and navigating young manhood as a tortured outsider, William Barradale’s vocal delivery falls under the spectre of those late doomed romantics Billy MacKenzie of ASSOCIATES and Trevor Herion of THE FALLOUT CLUB.

‘Wide Awake’ at first comes over like the generic darkwave that has afflicted electronic pop over the past few years but victory is snatched from defeat with a soaring chorus to savour. ‘Girl’ focusses on deeper resonances and takes its lead from SUICIDE in its bass line but ‘Local Guys’ is embroiled in tension as Barradale showcases his emotional range as he reflects on the violent turns of former acquaintances.

Rhythmically ‘She’s on the Run’ is shaped by that classic synthpop bounce with piercing string machines while to close ‘Cry & Dance’, ‘My Car’ percussively recalls ‘Fade To Grey’ with hints of OMD in the melancholy stakes.

Possibly the most promising male UK synth act since MIRRORS, it will be interesting to see where A THOUSAND MAD THINGS goes and where William Barradale takes things next following this enjoyable short and sharp debut EP.

‘Cry & Dance’ is released under licence from to Nettwerk Music Group and available as a digital EP from https://athousandmadthings.bandcamp.com/

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Text by Chi Ming Lai with thanks to Gabriel Gaminde
29th October 2025