At the heart of Black Doldrums’ upcoming album is a lingering doubt about whether we can ever step outside the emotional patterns handed down to us, or if we’re destined to replay them again and again. The London trio confront that possibility throughout Repetition Compulsion, their third full-length and the concluding chapter of the “State of Mind Trilogy,” due November 13th, 2026 via Fuzz Club.
New single Repetition translates the album’s central idea directly into sound. Written as an exercise in building a song around one recurring riff, it advances with a slow, ritualistic force as drums, analogue synths and chorus-heavy guitars reinforce its inescapable circular motion. Sophie Landers’ conspicuous backing vocals shadow Kevin Gibbard’s lead, creating a divided voice that adds another layer of psychological tension.
Gibbard says that "the songs are either about Sophie, for Sophie, or inspired by her."
He continues: “The song came from an idea to challenge ourselves to write something around one riff and something dirge-like. It also fit the theme of the album and the topic of repetition by literally experimenting with repetition in the musical sense. The opening line – “is your mind split in two” – is something taken from our conversations on our many long walks around London where Sophie was talking about the psychological term splitting. It seemed to fit the feel of the song and theme of the album so much so it now opens up both the album and our live shows. I consider it very much Sophie’s song because she was the source of inspiration and that’s why we have her backing vocals fairly prominent to create a dual vocal effect. I also had the after-thought to have Sophie mime the first line in the video which is actually her line anyway.”
Spanning eleven tracks, Repetition Compulsion borrows its title from the Freudian concept describing the unconscious return to familiar experiences and destructive behaviours. Black Doldrums apply that framework to romance, mental health, political life and shared memory, examining how the past continues to reproduce itself within both individuals and societies.
Arriving after extensive touring across the UK and Europe, Repetition Compulsion closes one carefully connected body of work while opening another phase for Black Doldrums. Repetition makes that transition feel inevitable.
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Black Doldrums
Fuzz Club
Video by Sophie Landers-
