We Speak Music

Serious Child drops video for sumptuous and introspective new single ‘Veneer’

Published

8 months ago

November 14, 2025

Don Reed

Serious Child, aka Alan Young, has just released his fourth album ‘What Lies Beneath’.

The album is a collection of musical stories about what’s underneath the surface of our everyday lives and the third single to come from it is ‘Veneer’, a story of social camouflage, of a figure who had behaved normally for so long, everyone had forgotten who they were.

Co-written with Neil Connor, ‘Veneer’ is a lush, almost Floydian piece, where a change in tempo, David Grubb’s sliding violin and My Girl The River’s backing vocals take us to a beautiful place of realising who we are. An ode for the outcasts of society, ‘Veneer’ celebrates finding your own individuality and being proud of it with its layers of comforting and sumptuous introspection.

The new single is another look into West Sussex based Alan Young’s intriguing world, which he explores with a poet’s ear for emotion and a comedian’s eye for everyday detail. For the new record, Young has drawn from a wide range of sources of inspiration- from Tony Harrison’s sonnet “Book Ends”, to Rob McFarlane’s brilliant book “Underland” and Georgian traditional lullaby “Iavnana”.

Young’s previous albums have consistently attracted four and five star reviews, and his last full album, 2021’s ‘Talk About The Weather’ (with Andy Ruddy) was shortlisted for Fatea Album of the Year. His most recent project was a charity EP for Save Ukraine, with whom his brother Dave worked as an emergency relief driver. His most ambitious and varied offering to date, the new record, ‘What Lies Beneath’ is the bold sound of an indie-pop artist exploring and confidently fulfilling their potential.

Catch Serious Child playing around the UK on a double headline tour with My Girl The River as follows:

15 November – Alton – Beech Village Hall

16 November – London – Water Rats

20 November – Lewes – Con Club

19 February – Bristol – Hen & Chicken

22 February – Penzance – Acorn Theatre

13 March – Winchester – The Arc

15 March – Stroud – Prince Albert

We Speak Music

From 46th to 3rd: Asokwa Municipal Assembly’s Remarkable Rise in Financial Governance

Published

10 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Amplify Ghana

A year can make a remarkable difference, and for the Asokwa Municipal Assembly, it has changed everything.

After placing 46th in 2024, the Assembly has surged to an impressive 3rd position in Ghana’s 2025 Public Financial Management Compliance League Table, earning national recognition for its commitment to transparency, accountability and responsible financial management.

The Public Financial Management Compliance League Table, supported by the European Union and coordinated by the Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), assesses all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country. It measures how effectively assemblies manage public funds through budgeting, procurement, revenue generation and financial reporting.

Asokwa’s score of 92.00% placed it among the very best in Ghana, with only Bia East District Assembly and Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly ranking ahead. The performance stands well above the national average of 56.20%, underlining the municipality’s exceptional progress.

Behind this success is a deliberate commitment to strengthening financial discipline. Under the leadership of Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Amoh Kamel, the Assembly has embraced reforms aimed at improving compliance with financial regulations and ensuring greater accountability in the use of public resources.

The national recognition was formally presented during an awards ceremony, where Hon. Gladys G.N. Tetteh, Deputy Executive Director of CLGA, presented the Assembly with an award acknowledging its outstanding performance. The citation commended Asokwa’s efforts in improving public financial management and maintaining compliance throughout the financial management process.

The Assembly’s remarkable improvement demonstrates what focused leadership, teamwork and dedication to good governance can achieve. Rising 43 places within a single year is a significant accomplishment that reflects consistency, careful planning and efficient execution.

Asokwa’s latest achievement not only brings pride to the municipality but also serves as a benchmark for other local assemblies striving to improve governance and accountability.

As the municipality celebrates this milestone, attention now turns to sustaining these standards and pursuing an even greater achievement in the years ahead.