The Itch It's The Hope That Kills You
Released Apr 10, 2026 Fiction Records – The Itch
Consensus forming 4 professional reviews Updated Apr 16, 2026
Strong critical consensus
Consensus is still forming across 4 professional reviews. The Itch's It's The Hope That Kills You arrives as a sardonic, dance-primed debut that channels communal joy, urban anger, and sly socio-political wit.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Space In The Cab
2 critic mentions
“I hate this country, and I hate this island – but sometimes the people make it all worthwhile,” sings Simon Tyrie on ‘Space In The Cab” — New Musical Express (NME)
It's The Hope That Kills You
2 critic mentions
“It’s little surprise, then, that ‘It’s The Hope That Kills You’ is an urgent, upbeat, messy record” — New Musical Express (NME)
Drugdealer
1 critic mention
“the blissed out ‘Drugdealer’ offers a dreamy slice of escapism” — New Musical Express (NME)
Full critic consensus
The Itch's It's The Hope That Kills You arrives as a sardonic, dance-primed debut that channels communal joy, urban anger, and sly socio-political wit. Across four professional reviews the record earned an 85/100 consensus score, with critics repeatedly pointing to its blend of synth-pop and art-rock as the engine behind its urgent, slightly wonky grooves. Critics consistently name “Space In The Cab”, “Pirate Studios” and the title track “It's The Hope That Kills You” among the best songs on the record, while “No More Sprechgesang” and “Drugdealer” crop up as memorable highlights.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Space In The Cab
No More Sprechgesang
Can't Afford This
Pirate Studios
Drugdealer
Radio Frequencies
It's The Hope That Kills You
Aux Romanticiser
Ursula
Never Change
Switch It Off
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 4 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
The Itch make a debut on It's The Hope That Kills You that thrums with communal joy and simmering anger, and the best songs - “Space In The Cab” and “Drugdealer” - show why. Ali Shutler’s writing zips between vivid scene-setting and blunt appraisal, celebrating the wonky disco of “Space In The Cab” while admiring the dreamy escapism of “Drugdealer”. The record’s urgent, upbeat messiness is exactly the point, and tracks like “Can't Afford This” and “Ursula” carry its political bite with heart. The result is a party record that refuses pessimism but never loses its teeth, which is why listeners will search for the best songs on It's The Hope That Kills You and keep returning to these highlights.
Key Points
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“Space In The Cab” is the best song because it pairs wonky disco energy with pointed nightlife commentary, making it an immediate standout.
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The album’s core strengths are its sense of community, urgent party energy, and balancing of euphoria with understandable anger.
Themes
Critic's Take
The Itch’s debut It's The Hope That Kills You balances sardonic wit with rave-pop euphoria, making the best tracks feel both urgent and sly. The review crowns “Pirate Studios” as uncomfortably relevant, a Talking Heads-like lament about the city, while “No More Sprechgesang” and “Space In The Cab” show off tongue-in-cheek social commentary and Eurodance optimism. There is genuine delight in the chainsaw synth of “Aux Romanticiser” and the new wave-meets-acid house rush of “Ursula”, which together help define the album’s standout moments. Overall, the record’s gallows-humour and knowing winks turn individual tracks into memorable best songs on It's The Hope That Kills You rather than mere pastiche.
Key Points
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“Pirate Studios” is the album’s best track for its topical, Talking Heads-like social lament.
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The album’s strengths are sardonic social commentary fused with rave-pop and retro electronic textures.
Themes
Fa
Critic's Take
The Itch deliver on It's The Hope That Kills You with a sardonic charm that makes the best songs feel both wry and urgent. The reviewer highlights “Can't Afford This” as a cost-of-living cry set to industrial percussion, and crowns the title track “It's The Hope That Kills You” as the standout, sweaty centerpiece. There is also praise for the buoyant latter-half moments like “Switch It Off” where gritty guitar and a rocky bassline pay off. Overall the album is called one of the strongest debuts of the year, meticulous yet deliciously realistic, which answers searches for the best songs on It's The Hope That Kills You with clear, reviewer-driven picks.
Key Points
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The title track is singled out as the standout and the album's sweaty centerpiece.
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The album's core strengths are its sardonic humour, political bite, and a fusion of synth-pop and art-rock textures.