Mountainhead Explained

Mountainhead
Type:	studio
Artist:	Everything Everything
Cover:	Everything Everything - Mountainhead.png
Recorded:	2022–2023^[1]
Genre:	Synth-pop, Indie pop
Length:	54:53
Label:	BMG
Producer:	Tom A.D. Fuller Alex Robertshaw
Prev Title:	Raw Data Feel
Prev Year:	2022

Mountainhead is the seventh studio album by British band Everything Everything. It was released on 1 March 2024 through BMG.

Background and theme

Their third release in the span of two years, following Raw Data Feel in 2022 and a reissue of their debut album Man Alive in 2023, Everything Everything announced Mountainhead on 26 October 2023.^[2] The band wrote, recorded and produced the project in Stockport with the help of guitarist Alex Robertshaw. As opposed to their previous album which made use of artificial intelligence to create content, Mountainhead entirely avoids "plug-ins and effects".^[3] The "synthetic pop album" explores "notions of capitalism and social fracturing" from a futuristic point of view.^[4]

Lead vocalist Jonathan Higgs explained that the album revolves around a simple concept, taking place in a fictional world "wherein all of society is consumed with the building of a giant mountain". However, the twist in the story is that the people would have to dig a deep hole and live in it in order to build the mountain. Furthermore, at the bottom of the pit lives a giant golden snake that they have to escape.^[3] It represents an "alternate society" where those at the bottom have to work relentlessly to keep the elite "elevated".^[5] According to Higgs, the goal was to create "an easy but strong metaphor" that can apply to multiple things.^[6] To him, a "mountainhead" signifies an individual that believes in continuous growth of a mountain "no matter the cost, and no matter how terrible it is to dwell in the great pit".^[3]

Promotion

In promotion of the album, the band embarked UK tour in March and April 2024, with festival appearances throughout the summer.^[7]

Personnel

Everything Everything

• Jonathan Higgs – lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 5, 8–14), programming (3, 5, 8, 9)
• Jeremy Pritchard – bass (tracks 1–6, 8–14); baritone vocals, piano (2); backing vocals (4, 6, 11, 13, 14)
• Michael Spearman – drums (tracks 1–6, 8–14), percussion (2–6, 8–14), backing vocals (13)
• Alex Robertshaw – production (all tracks); keyboards, synthesizer (tracks 1–6, 8–14); programming (2–6, 9), e-bow guitar (2), backing vocals (3, 6, 11), strings programming (7)

Additional contributors

• Tom A.D. Fuller – production, engineering (all tracks); tambourine (tracks 1, 13, 14)
• Frank Arkwright – mastering
• Cenzo Townshend – mixing
• Martin King – engineering

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australian Physical Albums (ARIA)^[8]	30

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1 year of writing and recording 'Mountainhead'… Less than 2 weeks to go until it's yours. Everything. Everything. Instagram. 19 February 2024. 19 February 2024.
2. Web site: Everything Everything – "Cold Reactor". Chelosky. Danielle. Stereogum. 26 October 2023. 14 November 2023.
3. Web site: Everything Everything on their apocalyptic new album: "I can't see much good in the future". Beaumont. Mark. NME. 30 October 2023. 14 November 2023.
4. Web site: Everything Everything announce new album Mountainhead. Carter. Daisy. DIY. 30 October 2023. 14 November 2023.
5. Web site: Everything Everything announce their seventh studio album, Mountainhead. Kelly. Tyler Damara. Line of Best Fit. 30 October 2023. 14 November 2023.
6. Web site: Everything Everything: Making mountains. Ackroyd. Stephen. Dork. 27 October 2023. 14 November 2023.
7. Web site: The most anticipated new albums of 2024. Radio X. 2 November 2023. 14 November 2023.
8. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 11 March 2024. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1775. 7. 11 March 2024.