Smoky swamp-jazz grooves and shadowed city streets set the scene for the latest from Inca Babies. The Manchester post-punk icons have shared their new single “Daniella,” a sultry noir cut drifting through a haunting tapestry of desire and danger. It’s out now, pulling listeners into a tense, cinematic world where love and chaos collide.
The track comes from their ‘Reincarnation’ album, out now via Black Lagoon Records. “Daniella” is the third song on the record, re-recorded at 6Db Studios in Salford with renowned producer Simon ‘Ding’ Archer (The Fall, PJ Harvey), who worked to infuse it with a distinctive dub style. “The original version was first recorded in 1986 at Cargo Studios for the album ‘This Train,'” says guitarist-vocalist Harry Stafford.
‘Reincarnation’ is built on exactly that idea of reinvention. “Looking through our back catalogue, it occurred to me that there were tracks that should again be made available in some manner and others that would benefit from reinvention,” Stafford explains. “This whole project was to be an innovative re-imagining of old tunes, re-invented for contemporary consideration. All of them re-awakened and ‘Re-inca-rnated.'”
As foundational pioneers of the early post-punk and deathrock movements, Inca Babies remain a cornerstone of the Manchester and UK scenes. Led by Stafford alongside long-time collaborator Rob Haynes (The Membranes, Goldblade), the band helped define a dark, jagged sonic landscape that’s still influential decades on. During their initial five-year ascent, they amassed a devoted following through relentless touring, six singles, and four albums, every one of which breached the UK Indie Charts, plus a prestigious run of four BBC John Peel sessions between 1984 and 1988.
The album gathers reworked gems alongside other recent offerings. Earlier the band shared “Superior Spectre,” a live favourite from their 1984 John Peel Session, plus “Candy Mountain” with its hypnotic bass line and contemporary groove, and “Two Rails To Nowhere,” whose original 1988 version featured Inspiral Carpets’ Clint Boon and whose new expanded, Gun Club-esque version features guitarist Vincent O’Brien.
Their formation in 1983 in Manchester’s now-legendary deck-access flats of Hulme was chronicled in the 2024 documentary ‘The Making of Ghost Mechanic Nine.’ Since reforming in 2007, they’ve released four albums and toured three continents, continuing to explore goth, punk, death-rock, and jazz-blues, far from a legacy act and still commanding respect as elder statesmen of the British underground. ‘Reincarnation’ is available now on CD and everywhere digitally.
‘Reincarnation’ Track List:
01 Candy Mountain (from ‘This Train’ album, 1986)
02 Buster’s on Fire (7″ Single on Constrictor Records, 1987)
03 Daniella (from ‘This Train’ album, 1986)
04 Two Rails to Nowhere (from ‘Evil Hour’ album, 1988)
05 Jericho (from ‘Big Jugular’ 12″ EP, 1984)
06 Devil in my Room (from ‘Opium Den’ album, 1986)
07 Phantom Track (from ‘Death Message Blues’ album, 2010)
08 The Diseased Stranger’s Waltz (from ‘Rumble’ album, 1985)
09 Damnation (from ‘The Stereo Plan’ album, 2014)
10 Thirst (from ‘Opium Den’ album, 1986)
11 Superior Spectre (Extra B side of ‘Scatter’ 12″ 2014 For Record Store Day)
12 Cowboy Song (B side from ‘The Judge’ 12″ single, 1984)