If ever an apocalypse were beckoning, now would be the time to believe it. Despite this anguish though, ‘The World Will End Today’ finds Justin Stokes - the brains behind Wilding - comfortable in his own insanity, navigating doomsday affairs with endless charm. 

Coming to us just under a year after 2019’s ‘Speed King of the Commonwealth’, Wilding's return finds the singer-songwriter exploring new and more ambitious avenues of pop. Written with his tongue “firmly in cheek”, it’s hard to believe Justin wrote ‘The World Will End Today’ almost 18 months ago - a notion that, in retrospect, feels heavily forecasted. “Not in my wildest dreams did I think we’d actually be living through a global pandemic,” he shares while reminiscing on the track's new found resonance. “It’s about apocalyptic scenarios that could cause us to flee Earth and colonise Mars - like nuclear war or a super virus.”

Although touching on society's collective and very real fears, ‘The World Will End Today’ finds beauty in Justin’s approach to melody and pop-centric performance. Backed by a hook driven instrumental, Justin’s voice dances between a playful drum beat, guitars and a healthy display of keys. Contrasting the track's dark lyrical themes, it’s easy to see the appeal in Wilding’s colourful world - apocalyptic as it may be. 

Falling in line with his absurdist pop leanings, the accompanied video for ‘The World Will End Today’ gives Wilding a further dramatic context. Before dancing into the clip's conclusion, we see Justin going down in style - willing embracing his uncertain demise, recognisable only by his nightmarish make-up. Justin explains “the film clip was made in my house using amateurish make-up, and psych visuals by Electric Light Brigade. It was inspired by my love for The Mighty Boosh. I think sometimes I’m Howard Moon… I wish I was Vince.” While simple in its premise, ‘The World Will End Today’ finds grandeur in visual aid - a clip that is made memorable by Justin’s bombast and artistic amorphous.