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‘Little Sign’ single artwork
out 23rd July on Heist or Hit (Westside Cowboy, Her’s)
First single ‘Little Sign’ out today
Today, Lei Hope returns with ‘Little Sign’, the moving first single from his forthcoming EP ‘INERTIA‘, arriving this summer via indie heavyweights Heist or Hit (Westside Cowboy, Her’s). A sharply honed collection of songs built on honesty, restraint, and soul, ‘INERTIA’ finds the Zimbabwe-born, Leeds-raised, and Manchester-based artist stepping into his most introspective writing yet.
Across its five tracks, Hope explores grief, disconnection, and growth – themes captured with clarity on lead single ‘Little Sign’, a meditation on the lost time between siblings, framed by geographic and emotional distance.
Built on a woozy, understated groove and soft, layered guitars, ‘Little Sign’ strikes a balance between soul and space. Reflecting on an alienated connection with a younger brother, its rhythm holds a quiet patience – a simmering restraint that lets emotion sit close to the surface without ever spilling over.
“I think I just needed a reset,” he explains. “Coming back to Manchester after travelling gave me space to reflect. ‘Little Sign’ was the first song I made in that headspace and it set the tone for everything that followed.”
Inspired by recent live touring stints with artists like Zach Templar and as Hana Vu’s touring guitarist, Hope approached this EP with a renewed focus on how his music translates on stage. As a result, ‘INERTIA’ is more rhythmically driven than previous work. More dynamic, more fluid – yet retaining the warmth and intimacy that has become his signature.
Where previous EP ‘Matrices’ flirted with psychedelia and indie pop – with references ranging from Omar Apollo and Clairo to Yeek and Blood Orange, ‘INERTIA’ hones in on a distinct sonic identity: alternative R&B with a singer-songwriter soul. The EP draws influence from Daniel Caesar’s ‘Never Enough’, Phoebe Bridgers’ emotional candor, and the understated strength of Charlotte Day Wilson’s songwriting, with much of the EP initially written on acoustic guitar.
The result is music that feels both confessional and cinematic, often inspired by visuals and film scenes playing on mute in the background during recording sessions. “Looking back now, the EP is about loss in different forms. Loss of people, of time, of control. Each song was a way of letting something go,” Hope explains.
Hope co-produced the EP himself, enlisting a close circle of collaborators from Manchester’s growing alt-R&B underground, including returning producer Will Levison and new collaborator Hassan Kairi, with contributions from friends and bandmates on bass and keys. The process was intentionally stripped back, reflective of the EP’s emotional core.
Though rooted in Manchester, Lei Hope’s sound cuts against the grain of the city’s rock and indie lineage. Instead, he’s helping shape a quieter, more soulful scene – one grounded in storytelling, honesty, and genre fluidity, with Hope continuing to say: “I think it’s important to show a different side of what Manchester can sound like. My influences lean more alternative R&B, more introspective. I guess I sit on the edge of that , close enough to belong but far enough removed to be unique.”
With early praise from NPR, The Line Of Best Fit, DIY Magazine, BBC 6 Music, La Blogotheque, plus a growing live reputation and wide ranging support from Spotify (The Basement, Hot New Bands, peach, Fresh Finds UK + US), ‘INERTIA’ sees Lei Hope solidify his position as one of the UK’s most emotionally resonant new voices. ‘Little Sign’ is out now. New EP ‘INERTIA’ is out 23rd July on Heist or Hit.
LIVE DATES
4 July – Manchester International Festival, Festival Square, Manchester
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