After turning heads this summer with Starlight—a track that earned spins in 43 countries and created the catchy named fan group the Bartello’s in the process – The Bartells return with This Love a three-minute-forty burst of sunshine that proves the Shropshire five-piece are sharpening their knack for hooks into something unstoppable. The lead single is supported by B-sides See Me Again and a live radio recording of This Love, more on both of those tracks at the end of the blog.
Our main focus is on the single This Love, recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios, it’s unashamedly direct: a crisp guitar jangle, a rhythm section that keeps things buoyant, and a chorus you’ll be humming before you realise you’ve even learnt it. True to the band’s mantra of “less lyrics, more la-la’s,” the hook doesn’t just lodge itself in your head—it moves in permanently.
Drummer Rob puts it best: “It’s a ‘don’t bore us, get to the chorus’ kinda song. It’s uplifting and joyous, simple and sweet and we’re very proud of it. We would love as much support as possible from the Bartello’s across the globe!”
He’s not wrong. This Love doesn’t waste time with overcomplication; it surges forward with a breezy, uplifting energy that makes you want to roll the windows down, even as autumn nights creep in.
Lyrically, there’s a bittersweet edge tucked beneath the sheen. The track nods to the fickleness of love—the ease of falling, the pain of losing, the soul-ripping emptiness it leaves behind. But it never wallows. Instead, The Bartells package life’s contradictions into a track that feels celebratory, proof that sometimes the simplest message can hit the hardest.
Also featuring on this mini EP, is See Me Again recorded live in one take within the legendary walls of Rockfield Studios, it’s a goosebump-inducing performance that crackles with immediacy. There’s something special about hearing a band strip away the studio polish and lean fully into the moment, and this track captures that energy perfectly. The vocals ache with sincerity, guitars shimmer, and the rhythm section holds everything steady like a heartbeat. It’s proof that The Bartells don’t need overdubs or filters to sound electric; they just need a room, a song, and each other.
The EP closes with an acoustic version of This Love, recorded in session at Radio Alti. This rendition, provides a warmth and intimacy that reframes the original’s jubilant spirit into something more reflective. Without the punchy drums and bright guitars, the song’s bittersweet lyrics come into sharper focus, revealing a tenderness at its core. It’s the sound of a band confident enough to deconstruct their own anthem, showing that the same melody that fills festival fields can also light up a quiet room.
If Starlight was the spark, This Love is the ignition. Anthemic, joyous, and tailor-made for radio, this is the sound of The Bartells stepping confidently into their next chapter. Expect this one to follow you long after the last “la-la” fades.
This Love is a punchy, sing-it-back indie pop anthem that cements The Bartells as one of the UK’s brightest breakout contenders.
This Love is released on Friday 17th October and can be pre-saved here.
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