Review: Absent Minds

Next up is Absent Minds with their new single Forget Yourself, and from the very first moments it’s clear this band are operating on their own wavelength. The track opens with a cool, bluesy guitar lick backed by a trumpet – and yes, it really does work. The vocal glides effortlessly over the melody, relaxed and confident, before the song suddenly explodes into a grunge-tinged chorus… with brass still very much in tow. It sounds like chaos on paper, but in practice it’s inspired.

Absent Minds use the quiet/loud dynamic brilliantly here, but never in a tired or predictable way. The addition of non-traditional instruments doesn’t feel like a gimmick; it feels essential, giving the track its own identity and making it instantly memorable. This is a band completely unafraid to take risks, and Forget Yourself is all the better for it – bold, fresh, and packed with ideas that actually serve the song.

There’s even a brass solo, trading lines with a more traditional guitar lead, and somehow it feels perfectly natural. The ideas keep coming, but nothing feels overcrowded or self-indulgent. Everything builds with purpose, driving the track forward towards a huge, exhilarating crescendo that leaves you buzzing and instinctively reaching for repeat.

Forget Yourself isn’t just a great single, it feels like a statement. Confident, inventive and full of joy, this is Absent Minds announcing themselves loud and clear with one of the most exciting tracks we’ve heard in 2026 so far. Forget yourself? With a song this good, that’s easy – Absent Minds have given us plenty to remember.