Name: Jordan Cardy
Hometown: Essex
Download: Neighbourhood Watch
Have you ever wondered about the life of your server at Wetherspoons after they’ve put down the curry clubs for the evening? I bet you’d never consider that they could be the self-proclaimed creator of “indie floor filler anthems” but for RATBOY – real name Jordan Cardy –this became the reality after taking the sack at Wetherspoons.
From his debut mixtape in 2014, to his most recent ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ mixtape, Cardy has managed to somehow encapsulate the chaotic buzz that can be found at any one of his live shows. Lyrics such as “young, dumb, living off mum” hone in on a definitive voice of Cardy’s behind the madness, a voice of observation on the difficulty of being a young Brit trying to live with no money. In an earlier release Cardy ponders on the correctness of signing on to the dole, while his more recent mix tape addresses the cuts under David Cameron’s government – his band are not a fan of Farage either, as his bass player’s ‘fuck UKIP’ sign brandished on a recent tour supporting Circa Waves.
One quick glimpse at RATBOY’s twitter will reveal the following he has managed to amass. His cheek-fuelled feed, whilst entertaining, also manages to display that his disillusioned youth persona extends far beyond his mixtapes. Only a few recent gems have seen Cardy having to give away a free t-shirt after sharing a video of a fan getting rather friendly with a fellow fan at a recent gig, claiming we are all ‘green party af deep down’ and making his dad buy NME each week just so he can see RATBOY on the Reading & Leeds line up poster.
Similarities between RATBOY’s southern sound and that of Jamie T’s have been widely noted not only by DJS and fans, but by Cardy himself – no negative connotations however, as some are predicting him to be an indie iconic voice just as strong as his fellow Southerner. Tribute to The Beastie Boys, The Libertines explosive immediacy and the unique manner in which he translates his search for a good time through his music has allowed Cardy to transform the bleakness of having no foreseeable prospects into a musical riot that is captivating once witnessed.
If you want to catch more of RATBOY’s rise, listen to his new mixtape ‘Neighbourhood Watch’, get a ticket for his first headline tour later this year, see him at Reading&Leeds (it would make his dad’s day) and definitely follow him on Twitter.
Words by Rachael Griffiths