Wigan chart-toppers The Lathums return with first new single in a year as they prepare for Richard Ashcroft gig

Vice Versa comes out nearly five years after the launch of their debut album How Beautiful Life Can Be, which reached number one in the UK album chart.

Fans have been waiting since June last year – when single Cobblestones was released – for new music from the band, though there have been hand-picked live shows since then, including their debut Far East and Australia shows.

That track appeared on an extended edition of their third album Matter Does Not Define, prior to some of the band’s biggest UK live shows to date.

After warming up with a run of purposely intimate live dates earlier this month, The Lathums, led by Alex Moore, take on summer energised by the unwavering support of their loyal fans.

Vice Versa’s lyrics are said to ponder vulnerability and seek self-assurance.

Experimenting through writing sessions with Grammy-nominated musician Ian Archer, Alex’s comfort zone was extended beyond Wigan towards the south coast and into a collaboration that went beyond the boundaries of music alone.

An emotive video for the track has been shot by long-term collaborator James Slater.

Alex said: “Vice Versa was written from a feeling of not fully belonging in the world we’ve built around ourselves.

“It came from that experience of having everything you need to survive, yet still feeling hungry for meaning, connection and peace. The song sits between connection and alienation, between needing people deeply and fearing what we carry inside ourselves.

“Writing it with Ian down in Brighton pushed me into a much more vulnerable place creatively, and what started as a song writing session very quickly became more like a therapy session. We spoke a lot about identity, dependence, fear and navigating life, and it ended up being probably the most open, honest and raw writing experience I’ve had in my career so far.”

The Lathums have a number of confirmed live dates through the rest of the year, including with Wigan’s Richard Ashcroft today at London’s Alexandra Palace Park.

Other shows include Kendal Calling and Leeds Festival this summer, followed by a national tour with Courteeners in November.

For tickets and more information, go to www.thelathums.com.