Sean Morrell: My Dealer (Loves Me)
Sean Morrell: Northern Spirit Fuels “My Dealer (Loves Me)”
by Jack Rush
Rooted firmly in the lineage of Northern indie, Manchester-based songwriter Sean Morrell describes his sound as “indie hippie music” — a fitting shorthand for a style that blends post-punk drive with melodic warmth and reflective lyricism. Born in Hull, Yorkshire and now embedded in Manchester’s vibrant grassroots scene, his music carries the imprint of the North at every turn.
Raised on the angular storytelling of Arctic Monkeys, the buoyant urgency of The Wombats, the timeless songwriting of The Beatles, and the modern grit of Sam Fender, he channels those influences into songs that feel both nostalgic and newly personal. His early years DJing at Hull’s iconic Spiders Nightclub and studying music performance at university laid the groundwork for a sound that thrives equally in sweaty club spaces and intimate live settings.
Since relocating to Manchester, he has assembled a live band and built momentum through open mics, busking, and performances at venues including Aatma, 33 Oldham Street, and Grand Central. His debut EP, Intoxicated, released last October, served as a post-punk indie rock homage to the music that shaped him — even featuring cover art shot outside Spiders Nightclub, a symbolic nod to his beginnings.
His latest single, “My Dealer (Loves Me),” marks a subtle but significant evolution. Musically upbeat and club-ready, the track contrasts sharply with its sombre lyrical undercurrent. For the first time, he introduces synth as the lead melodic voice, drawing on newer influences such as Blossoms and CHVRCHES while maintaining the kinetic pulse of Northern indie disco. The result is bright, danceable, and deceptively heavy.
Written during his university years, the song captures a period defined by excess and emotional contradiction. Its infectious energy masks a darker narrative of partying, substance use, and creeping depression — a deliberate juxtaposition that mirrors how he was living at the time. The contrast between sound and subject matter is not accidental but conceptual: euphoria on the surface, disquiet underneath.
There’s an unmistakable nod to The Wombats’ “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” in its DNA — that same impulse to move joyfully in the shadow of something heavier. Releasing the track from Manchester, the city forever tied to Joy Division’s legacy, adds another layer of resonance. Rather than imitation, though, “My Dealer (Loves Me)” feels like continuation — a new entry in the tradition of Northern UK indie club music that pairs dancefloor immediacy with emotional candour.
In embracing both the chaos of his past and the clarity of hindsight, he transforms personal history into communal release. “My Dealer (Loves Me)” is more than an indie club anthem; it’s a reckoning set to a beat — proof that sometimes the brightest songs come from the darkest rooms.
Have a listen and connect with Sean Morrell:
