London art-rockers Cherry I release 'Mistake' - produced by Ali Chant

London art-rock group Cherry i return with their new single ‘Mistake’, a magnetic follow-up to previous single ‘The Arsonist’, continuing their collaboration with producer Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Youth Lagoon, Soccer Mommy).

Built around an uneasy dialogue between artist and art, ‘Mistake’ captures what vocalist and lyricist Nikol describes as “a relationship with defeat”, embodying the tension of not being able to control what you create.

The track moves from hushed reflection (“I know who I am / I know what I lack”) into something unrestrained, as guitars scrape and shiver over taut percussion.

Lyrically, ‘Mistake’ is full of surreal, visceral imagery (“The sun rays are filled with disease / My hopes are lost in you”), with Nikol reflecting on the frustration and compulsion that underpin creative pursuit - her performance leading the song from quiet restraint into full cathartic release.

On the lyrical inspiration behind 'Mistake' - Nikol said:

“The idea behind the song is essentially a one way conversation between a person and something inanimate, in this case it is the fraught relationship one can have with music and choosing that as a career path. Wanting to have a sit down conversation with something so opaque and undefinable as art is what inspired the lyrics."

Recording 'Mistake' and previous single 'The Arsonist' with Ali Chant in January was, Nikol says: “a dream come true. He knows how to listen for what’s missing or what might be clogging up a moment. And he’s just lovely to be around - whenever I get sad I picture myself back on that couch in the studio.”

Their music drifts through the liminal space between The Smile’s unsettling surrealism and King Krule’s shadowy melancholy, with glints of Portishead’s brooding atmosphere too. The result is vivid and enigmatic - anchored by singer Nikol’s spectral delivery, her voice carrying a distinctive, quivering lilt that shifts between whisper and lament.

Cherry i’s ethos is rooted in connection - with each other, their newfound London scene, and the audiences they hope to move. They’ve built a reputation as one of city's most intriguing new live bands, with frequent appearances at cult venues such as The Windmill and The George Tavern. As Nikol puts it: “If people are excited by our music and feel it’s a worthy soundtrack to their lives, that’s all I can hope for.”

New single 'Mistake' is out now.