Blitz Vega, the project co-founded by Kav Sandhu and the late Andy Rourke of The Smiths have just released a brand new single, “Superbrain.” The track is a swaggering, groove-heavy track that blends rock grit with electro-punk energy while tackling our messy love/hate relationship with technology.
After Andy passed in 2023, Kav dedicated himself to ensuring that his friend’s legacy ended on a high with their debut album Northern Gentleman. And that’s what he achieved with what Louder Than War described as a “a life-affirming, rollicking, thrilling, kinetic, sometimes unbearably poignant tribute.” Clash agreed, summarizing it as a “striking, emotional collection of songs, embedded in energy and life, their final work is a heartfelt farewell to a friend.”
Yet there’s still more to come from Blitz Vega as they share the new single “Superbrain.” It was first written and demoed in 2020 but was only recently completed by Kav. It’s the ultimate fusion of the two styles that Blitz Vega excels at: dirty, groove-heavy rock ‘n’ roll, with electro-leaning breakbeats and wild synth stabs, all infused with swaggering, punkish attitude. Its lyrics target tech issues that have only grown in importance since it was originally written. Technology should supplement human ingenuity, but from data-harvesting to AI infiltrating real creativity, that ideal hasn’t been realised.
Kav says, “The song is about the complicated relationship humans have with technology in the age of conflicting information impacting the way people think and their actions. Also, the importance of genuine creativity and how it should be valued.
I first wrote the lyrics for this song in 2020. I was recently going through songs Andy and I worked on that didn’t make the album and this one stuck out. The lyrics I wrote are strangely relevant to events today.”
“Superbrain” is now available on all streaming platforms, planned as a fan-first teaser of what to expect as the finishing touches are put to a new Blitz Vega EP. Yet the reaction was so overwhelmingly positive it was clear that “Superbrain” deserved a bigger moment in the spotlight. As “Superbrain” proves, the duo have plenty of material (in varying stages of completion) that more than matches what Blitz Vega achieved with Northern Gentleman.
Kav Sandhu and Andy Rourke formed Blitz Vega in Los Angeles on Christmas Day 2017. It provided a special spark for them both: Kav was inspired by Andy’s remarkable talent and personality, while Kav offered Andy a new focal point and partner to help reignite the pioneering musicianship that made him such a highly respected figure. In a happier timeline, Blitz Vega would now be powering towards their second record. But instead, Kav is ensuring that his late friend’s final project reaches its full potential and achieves the attention that it deserves.
