Artillery Saints, the project of Scottish musician Ally McKenzie, returns with its most ambitious work to date: the forthcoming album Glimpse (2025), expanding the textured, cinematic avant-pop sound that has earned critical acclaim and a dedicated following.
After early projects including ’90s indie act Fly and the 2000s electronic venture Cities People And Parks, McKenzie rediscovered his musical spark post-lockdown when he spotted a gleaming Epiphone guitar in a shop window. That rediscovery reignited his passion for songwriting and production — soon joined by bass, synths, and Ableton Live — leading to the creation of Artillery Saints.
THE NEW SINGLE — CONTROL & THE COUSINS
The album’s lead single, Control & The Cousins, takes a sardonic look at the misadventures of a fictitious rock band navigating the ruthless music industry:
“To get to the stage we had to sneak through the back door.”
Driven by a hypnotic bassline, sparse synths, jagged machine-gun guitar bursts, and a haunting chorus, the track exemplifies McKenzie’s signature blend of dark humour, surreal storytelling, and avant-pop sensibilities.
THE ALBUM — GLIMPSE
Glimpse sees Artillery Saints moving into fresh sonic territory while retaining the twisted pop and blackly comic lyricism of previous albums Maneki-Neko and Fixed Grin Of A Wallpaper Star. Glimpse continues McKenzie’s evolution toward a distinctive electronic sound — blending avant-pop precision with cinematic textures and his trademark dark wit.
Across eleven tracks, McKenzie merges futuristic electronic sounds with natural textures like woodwinds, ambient flourishes, and jazz-inspired elements.
Highlights include:
- High-Rise Sun Tribe: a lyric-less, quasi-classical opener.
- Jelly Legs: hypnotic bass, skittish drums, sci-fi synths, and earthy sax riffs tell the story of an explorer trapped in parallel worlds.
- Beauty Retreat: a darkly satirical vision of the Gaza Strip turned into a Trumpian “Vegas of the Middle East.”
- Hick In Suburbia: a sweetly melodic pop tune masking a bitter revenge fantasy.
- House Mother Console and Glister: experimental ambient tracks suggesting exciting future directions for the project.
Fans of Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Magazine, John Foxx, and Japan will recognize influences, but McKenzie’s music is uniquely his own — home-recorded, technically polished, and emotionally rich, offering a cinematic, often surreal journey through contemporary anxieties, humour, and beauty.
ABOUT ARTILLERY SAINTS
Hailing from Aberdeen, Scotland, Ally McKenzie draws from a rich musical lineage, including family connections to organ and piano, and an early immersion in literature, art, and film. A graduate of English Literature at Sunderland University, McKenzie’s work reflects a lifelong curiosity about culture, society, and human emotion.
Beyond music, he enjoys cycling, nature walks, photography, and film — often incorporating these influences into Artillery Saints’ visual and musical universe.
Follow Artillery Saints
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artillerysaints/
Website: https://artillerysaints.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/artillery-saints
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3yIH3sA1L0fZIUNui6c9hq
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
Twitter: https://x.com/ArtillerySaints
Amazing Radio: https://amazingradio.com/profile/artillerysaints