As the world scrolls its way through life, transatlantic four-piece, The Boxer Rebellion get back to reality, condemning the invisible pressures of contemporary life in the age of constant observation on their latest single, “Satellite Above” – OUT NOW.
The latest track from their upcoming seventh album speaks to the erosion of authentic human connection while the band take their listeners on an infectious, strutting, and defiant walk.
Built around neat, uncoiling bass grooves that pool into glassy, anthemic refrains, the track captures the band’s unease and rejection of a life fully ‘plugged-in’.
“Big brother always watching over / A satellite above”
Singer, Nathan Nicholson’s lyrics become less a dystopian warning than a sober acknowledgement of reality as he treads the earth where attention has become fast currency and comparison to others feels inescapable. Distraction and emotional fatigue feature as he sings about accidentally forgetting to live while watching images of the other people’s worlds pass between his finger tips. The song’s recurring theme of jealousy and despair distils the modern impulse to measure personal worth against curated versions of other lives, articulating tension between constant connectivity and the creep of disconnection.
Nicholson explains: “It’s a reflection on the type of society we currently live in – constantly monitored, observed, and living for the curiosity and entertainment of others. Our every move is tracked, our every action recorded. We have forgotten what it is to live without such distraction, to truly be in the moment, and instead we are forced into this never-ending ‘carousel of envy’ as we measure our own lives against the lives of others.”
Recent singles, “Hidden Meanings” and “Flowers in the Water,” reintroduced the band’s emotive sonic depths ahead of the release of their forthcoming album, The Second I’m Asleep, arriving on Fri 27 March 2026 via their own, long-established label, Absentee Recordings. Charting the fault lines of modern existence, from self-reckoning and sensory overload to the final stillness of being, the record was created during an intense and instinct-driven period of writing.
The quartet of Nicholson, Adam Harrison, Piers Hewitt and Andrew Smith, sound re-energised throughout, reaffirming the chemistry that has sustained them over the years. Great care was taken to ensure the record’s sonic palette matches its thematic weight with studio engineers Rees Broomfield, Billy Bush and Kevin Grainger joining the band to sculpt a sound that feels vast yet respects each song’s distinct sense of intimacy.
The band’s never-ending commitment to connecting with their loyal audiences has been evident at regular shows following their return from a short hiatus in 2023. With more than 14,000 tickets sold across UK and European headline dates, including a sold-out night at London’s KOKO, they have proved their prowess in both ornate theatres and on main festival stages. Notably appearing at the 2025 edition of the Pinkpop Festival, The Boxer Rebellion played to a crowd of 50,000 in Landgraaf, Netherlands last summer.
In March 2026, they return for a run of UK and EU shows, concluding with a celebratory homecoming at London’s Brixton Electric during album release week. Owing to an injury to guitarist, Smith, the band has announced that Charlie Barnes of Bastille will fill-in over the spring. All of The Boxer Rebellion’s confirmed upcoming live dates are as follows:
Sat 14 March: Glasgow, Saint Luke’s
Sun 15 March: Manchester, Band On The Wall
Mon 16 March: Bristol, Thekla
Wed 18 March: Rotterdam, Maassilo – Low Tickets
Thu 19 March: Groningen, De Oosterpoort – Low Tickets
Fri 20 March: Berlin, Metropol
Sat 21 March: Hamburg, Fabrik
Mon 23 March: Amsterdam, Paradiso – Low Tickets
Tue 24 March: Alkmaar, Victorie – Low Tickets
Wed 25 March: London, Brixton Electric
For album pre-orders, exclusive bundles and remaining tour tickets, visit theboxerrebellion.com
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