Happy Mondays – Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches (2026 remaster, red vinyl)

Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches channels the Happy Mondays’ unruly charm into a brighter, dance‑leaning sound, with Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne giving their baggy grooves a glossy, club‑ready pulse. The album’s swagger is anchored by standout singles like Step On, whose elastic rhythm and Ryder’s half‑mumbled bravado made it an unlikely pop hit, and Kinky Afro, a strutting, hook‑laden track that distilled their chaotic humour into something irresistibly catchy. Across the record, loose funk guitars, buoyant beats, and Ryder’s surreal street poetry collide in a way that feels both shambolic and sharply produced. It captures Madchester’s moment of crossover, when indie mischief and rave culture briefly fused into something colourful, messy, and strangely euphoric.