Indie Pop collective Surgenor's Runeii is due to release ‘Butterfly Man’ on 4th August 2023, the second single from their debut album with the same name. Creating a unique sound with influences from Jazz, Indie Pop and Soft Rock, Surgenor’s Runeii is bringing their extensive experience in songwriting to 2023. The previous single ‘Trees’ was supported by BBC Introducing in North Yorkshire. ‘Butterfly Man’ was written by Ian Surgenor, produced by Tim Scott, Sam Johnson and Stu Fletcher, and mastered by Tom Woodhead (The Cribs, Gold Panda). Originally written back in 1992 and accompanied by nostalgic textures and vibrant instrumentation, the single is an introspective song based on Surgenor’s life about starting out in the world with youthful naivety, attempting to be perfect and please everyone. The lyrics reflect Ian as a young man trying to aiming to be the jack-of-all-trades, the perfect man for the person he loved, a relatable attitude for many on reflection.

Surgenor’s Runeii is a project started by Ian Surgenor in 2022 with a clear mission to bring to life a compilation of songs that he has written over the past thirty years in the album ‘The Butterfly Man’, further explained in an interview on BBC Radio York. Ian Surgenor has lent his musical talents to various projects over the years, of note, he plays keys for Indie Rock outfit Skylights. Shifting focus on his own original music, the single and by extension the album got recorded at Bakerland Studios, making the most of Surgenor’s wide network of established musicians and singers including George Farrar, noted as the drummer for the Brian May and Roger Taylor endorsed Queen Tribute Band Queen Extravaganza as well as Stu Fletcher known as bass player for The Seahorses, St Etienne and Happy Mondays. The record’s live debut was on the 18th December 2022 when it was played in its entirety at The NCEM in York. Intimate and introspective, ‘Butterfly Man’ employs moving songwriting and instrumentation to capture the frustration felt from making wrong decisions and facing the inevitable twists and turns of growing up. Surgenor’s Runeii captures this idea perfectly in the single with lyrics such as:

“You shine out in a crowd, surround yourself with people but you still feel so lonely
You find out, you're not proud. Invite yourself to people and you think that its ok”

Inspired by a wide range of acts such as Nile Rodgers, Talk Talk, and Blue Nile, Surgenor’s Runeii is ready to bring their mesmerising performances and powerful songwriting to the masses in 2023. With their debut album ‘The Butterfly Man’ on the horizon and plans for more live shows following its release, Surgenor’s Runeii is going to turn heads with their unique sound and musicianship. Follow their socials for updates on the latest releases and live performances.