Groningen’s most exciting export, Real Farmer, have returned with a striking new single that trades their signature high-octane grit for something altogether more atmospheric. Released via Strap Originals, ‘Run By Animals’ serves as a haunting second glimpse into their highly anticipated sophomore LP, 'Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right'.
While frontman Jeroen Klootsema usually leads the charge, this latest cut sees bassist Marrit Meinema step into the spotlight, handling all vocal duties with a captivating, ethereal delivery. The track is built upon a foundation of hypnotic, motorik basslines and skeletal, jagged guitar work that feels both spacious and urgent. Recorded entirely to 16-track analogue tape at Rotterdam’s Far Out Sound Studios under the guidance of producer Niek Van Den Driesschen, the single possesses a warm, tactile depth, polished further by the mastering expertise of Melbourne’s Mikey Young.
The accompanying music video, co-directed by the band and Dylan Hayes, leans into a gothic folklore aesthetic. We see a cloaked Meinema igniting a bonfire behind a hand-carved anarchist symbol—a visual representation of the track’s defiant political undertones. Speaking on the DIY imagery, Meinema explains: "We believe that we should get rid of the people currently ruling the world, decentralise power and give it back to the people."
Beyond the visuals, the song carries a heavy emotional weight, tackling the systemic apathy surrounding modern injustices. Meinema notes: "'Run By Animals' is about society not listening to victims of violence, oppression, femicide. Comfort is only afforded to those who are distanced far from these things, who keep themselves distanced. It's hard to get people to listen, because it involves unlearning many wrong ‘truths’ that are deeply ingrained in the western world."
Following the success of their debut album, 'Compare What’s There', and the blistering single ‘Missing Link’, Real Farmer are rapidly ascending the ranks of the European alternative scene. Having spent 2025 sharing stages with the likes of Protomartyr and Babyshambles, the quartet are now preparing for their busiest year yet. With a spring 2026 album release on the horizon and upcoming support slots for Peter Doherty in Utrecht and Paris, the momentum behind this Groningen four-piece is becoming impossible to ignore. If ‘Run By Animals’ is anything to go by, their new era is set to be their most profound yet.
You can stream the new single above, alongside the video, and for more, catch up with the band today on Instagram and Facebook.
