Basement : WIRED
Timing is everything when it comes to an album’s ability to leave a greater impact. An album like Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream or Pearl Jam’s Ten might stand the test of time, but the impact it made is also in part due to being released at the right time, going with the flow of where music was heading after bands like Mudhoney and Nirvana had already been slugging it out in the underground. In 2026, Billy Corgan isn’t going to make another Gish nor will Eddie Vedder and company crank out another Ten; that moment is gone. Yet we can look to younger bands to pick up that torch and shine its light of inspiration on their contemporary sound, which is what Basement does on their new album WIRED.
You can still hear punk in the DNA of this UK-based band. And much in the way that grunge took punk and merged it with a contemporary sound, Basement are not seeking to pay tribute by the blueprint drawn up by another artist, but rather evoke a time when songwriting mattered. Echoes of this era can be heard in how “Dead Weight” shuffles along with help from a driving bassline that keeps the indifferent tone of the vocals moving. There is a casual tone to “Broken By Design” that ambles with less aggression, as singer Andrew Fisher finds himself more in a reflective mood.
Basement move at a brisk pace for “Pick Up the Pieces,” which has an explosive chorus, and they take the direction of Failure’s more introspective moments for “Embrace.” Those looking for high-energy songs will find this more of a slow burn, but worthwhile, as it’s a credit to the band for creating such a dynamic album. They follows that up with “Sever,” which offers a rowdier grunge charge as angst comes to a head. The raw organic quality of the production lends itself to a rowdiness that continues with “The Way I Feel.”
If you are old enough to remember when this kind of music first dropped on MTV’s 120 Minutes show before grunge broke big, then you’ll recognize that the wheel is not being reinvented here—but you can also confirm that they got the mood right. “Satisfy” finds the hook of the vocal melody taking center stage, while there is a downtrodden sonic shade to “Head Alight.” It’s not quite a ballad, but something that would have been right at home on a college radio station in 1993.
Basement have certainly crafted some memorable songs with little in the way of filler on WIRED. It captures a very specific period in time, not just nailing its sound but in recognizing it’s about the songs more than the sound. On that front, Basement more than rise to the occasion.
Label: Run for Cover
Year: 2026
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