21.01.25

A singular voice in music, London-based six piece The Golden Dregs return with the announcement of their fourth studio album, Godspeed, due 25 April via Joy of Life International. Alongside the announcement, the group are sharing a first taste of the album with new single:‘The Company Of Strangers’

A charming, hook-filled track, ‘The Company of Strangers’ is richly layered, blending folk-tinged guitars with playful piano riffs and lush harmonies. But with its gentle melodies come profound reflections on urban life, as Ben wryly delivers lyrics like: “Maybe it’s time I was taken out to pasture / since lately I’ve been getting it wrong”.

Of their new single, Ben says: “The Company of Strangers is a business empire into which one might invest their best life years, best health, best thoughts, every last hour of daylight in the winter months, to expire, become surplus to requirement, served notice, redundant. The Company doesn’t care about you but you are better than that. Godspeed The Company.”

The Golden Dregs was originally conceived as a solo project by multi-instrumentalist Ben Woods, but on their new album Godspeed, the project has fully evolved into an ensemble with individual contributions from each band member forming a vital part of the record.

At the heart of it, though, is Ben’s resonant baritone and vivid songwriting. An ode to the city, Godspeed soars and plunges through urban highs and lows, capturing collective human experiences — loneliness, resilience, and the interconnectedness of strangers. It’s personal yet outward-looking, and full of hooks that surprise and linger.

The album launches Ben’s independent label, Joy of Life International which has been formed in collaboration with End of the Road Records.

www.joyoflifeinternational.com