Genre-bending punk survivors The Mekons turn their ire towards British imperialism in general, and the Irish potato famine in particular, on a new album called Horror.

Opening single Mudrawlers is inspired by The Great Hunger of two centuries ago, telling the story of a ship unloading its human cargo of refugees at the mouth of a filthy Welsh river in dead of night.

The new album, out in early April, is a collection of songs providing a horribly prescient reflection of the world today and how we got here by a Leeds art collective who describe themselves as “post-modern, post-punk, post-human, past caring.”

Over the course of almost 50 years The Mekons have evolved from the proto-punk of their classic singles Never Been In A Riot and Where Were You into an eclectic outfit who amalgamate everything from dub, country, noise, rock & roll, electronica, punk, music hall and polka.

The roots of their global sound reflect their nomadic journey through time and space from Leeds Uni, where they began alongside The Gang Of Four and Delta 5, to California in the West and Siberia to the East.

Their latest incarnation, with founding frontman Jon Langford joined by musicians including former Damned and PiL guitarist – and my old school friend – Lu Edmonds, and Rumour drummer Steve Goulding, sounds a bit like early R.E.M. And The Chills.

The song was recorded in Valencia, with Edmonds playing guitar, bass and piano, the rhythm supplied by Goulding and bassist Dave Trumfio,and additional contributions from fellow Mekons Sally Timms, Tom Greenhalgh, Susie Honeyman and Rico Bell.