The potential stress of managing a revolving door of rockstars in a recording studio pales in insignificance to when a bunch of excitable children descend on a session. This scenario played out at London’s Abbey Road Studios during the recording of War Child’s new charity compilation album HELP(2), as Toby L, Transgressive Records co-founder and one of the album’s executive producers, tells M: ‘Assembling a children’s choir is actually a logistical nightmare, it transpires!’
The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer further embraced the unpredictability of youth by handing handheld cameras to a gaggle of children to capture footage from the sessions for a behind-the-scenes documentary.
‘There’s nothing more disarming than an eight-year-old with a camcorder,’ Rich Clarke, head of music at War Child, adds. ‘But they made the session feel really celebratory, triumphant and full of joy. The tension just dissipated.’
This levity also reminded all involved about the important cause at hand. HELP(2) is the sequel to the landmark 1995 HELP album, which raised over £1.2m to support children caught up in areas of conflict and aid them with their recovery. Three decades on, the humanitarian situation in many regions of the world remains desperate, with War Child estimating that 520 million children worldwide — almost one in five — are currently being affected by conflict.
That’s why projects like HELP(2) are vital to helping fund War Child’s important work. The desire to replicate the huge success of the 1995 compilation, which sold 70,000 copies on its first day of sales, is also understandable. Led by Brian Eno and recorded across a single day, the tracklist featured the likes of Radiohead, Paul Weller and Massive Attack. Oasis and Blur even put aside their rivalry to come together for the cause (albeit on separate songs), while Sir Paul McCartney assembled a supergroup for a cover of The Beatles’ Come Together.
‘We were all clear that the creative bar couldn’t be lowered. Every act gave the best track they could.’ – Rich Clarke, War Child
HELP(2) is similarly star-studded, bringing together a diverse array of essential voices from the realms of indie, pop and alternative music. Arctic Monkeys have contributed their first new song in four years for the LP’s opening track, while Olivia Rodrigo, Fontaines D.C., Beabadoobee, Pulp, Wet Leg, Foals and Depeche Mode also make appearances. Damon Albarn returns, as does his Blur bandmate Graham Coxon, who performs as a backing musician on several songs. Oasis, meanwhile, have contributed an exclusive live version of their song Acquiesce, which was recorded on the final night of their seven-show run at Wembley Stadium last year.
At the core of this album is James Ford, the British producer who has already worked with most of the music creators on the collection during his career. His prestige resonates, making him the perfect choice to be behind the mixing desk during these sessions. ‘We totally handed over the keys to James,’ Rich says. ‘We knew we wanted to work with him, but that we would also have to trust him because we knew he would curate something amazing.’
James’ involvement is all the more remarkable given that he was diagnosed with leukaemia in January 2025, prompting the postponement of the HELP(2) sessions while he began treatment. Though he wasn’t physically present at every session, cutting-edge technology helped him remain a part of the recordings. Olivia’s session, for instance, took place while James was in hospital receiving a blood transfusion, but the producer was still able to contribute virtually and even speak into monitors in the studio. For a record shaped by urgency, it was a striking image of commitment.
Elsewhere, other major players in the indie scene rallied to the cause, with Wildlife Entertainment (Arctic Monkeys, Fontaines D.C.) assisting in project management and Beggars Group helping distribute the album. Abbey Road gave the run of their studios over to James and the HELP(2) creators, waiving their usual fees owing to their full belief in the project. This selfless, collaborative spirit permeated every part of the record, much like it did the original.
By incorporating such genres as indie, jazz, R&B and beyond, HELP(2) is a more sonically broad listen than the original. To make the album resonate musically, Rich implored the invited artists to bring their finest material to the table. He cited Radiohead’s Lucky as an example: the band contributed that track to the original HELP album during a five-hour recording session, and its quality later ensured its place on their 1997 album OK Computer. ‘We were all really clear that the creative bar couldn’t be lowered,’ Rich tells M. ‘I feel like every act gave the best track they could.’
Arctic Monkeys, for example, revived a songwriting idea they first had during the sessions for their 2009 album Humbug. In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, drummer Matt Helders said that their track Opening Night — stuffed with sublime harmonies and a sinister feel — was a track they ‘couldn’t have done 10 to 15 years ago’ but now felt capable of completing.
Creators Damon, Foals and Pulp, meanwhile, wrote new material that captured the LP’s narrative arc. Flags features Damon, Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten and Kae Tempest, and sees that trio pitch a message of hope amid uncertainty:‘The flags are breezing with a brand new feeling,’ Grian sings.
Covers, often a feature of charity compilations, are used sparingly but with intent. Depeche Mode tackle Buffy Sainte-Marie’s 1964 track Universal Soldier, while Fontaines D.C. offer a stirring rendition of Sinéad O’Connor’s Black Boys on Mopeds, meeting the original’s emotional intensity. Olivia Rodrigo’s take on The Magnetic Fields’ The Book of Love, meanwhile, brings the LP to a tear-jerking finale. Despite the hardships the LP touches on, a universal truth emerges: love conquers all.
The recording sessions at Abbey Road back in November were freewheeling by design. Mark Robertson, director of marketing and creative at Abbey Road, recalls how a sense of ‘momentum’ powered the sessions. Add to that the unconventional film crew: ‘Jonathan’s genius idea to let a group of eight- and nine-year-olds run free throughout our house with cameras added a fresh perspective and sense of hope, reminding everyone of the project’s purpose.’
This convivial studio environment meant that collaboration flowed freely. Graham Coxon helped Leeds’ English Teacher record Parasite before appearing on Olivia’s take on The Book of Love. Grian and Kae’s turn on Flags was a spur-of-the-moment decision, while the use of an adult choir on that track (to accompany the excitable children’s choir) was swiftly assembled by Toby L.
‘I only had two hours to pull that together!’ he recalls with a laugh. ‘I thought the kids’ choir would be enough, but Damon asked, “Are we still doing the adult choir, then?” and that hadn’t been arranged.’ Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker, The Libertines’ Carl Barât, Declan McKenna and members of Black Country, New Road were all then corralled into the recording booth to do their bit.
‘When you went to the canteen to get a cup of tea, it was full of famous people,’ Kae told The Guardian about the recording sessions. ‘You know when you’re a kid and you dream about what life would be like if you made a record? It was like that.’
‘We’ve made friends and creative partnerships for life off the back of this project.’ – Toby L
For Rich and War Child, the sessions went above and beyond their expectations. Raising funds is, of course, the priority for HELP(2), but curating a charity LP that honoured the legacy of the original while standing up in its own right was equally important.
‘I feel like HELP(2) is not a product of helplessness, but a means to take positive action,’ Rich tells M. ‘These artists are writing songs and using their craft as a vessel for good. If people decide to buy the whole record or just stream songs by their favourite artist, they’re helping to contribute — which is an amazing thing.’
While the campaign will continue through 2026, Rich isn’t ruling out revisiting the HELP album series in the years to come should this be a success and raise much-needed funds. Toby concurs, saying the creative process — something that was fiercely protected throughout the project — is something that he will cherish forever.
‘We’ve made friends and creative partnerships for life off the back of this project,’ he says. ‘It all came about because people wanted to get together and share their ideas and skills. I could never have foreseen that. I hope that it can inspire and educate people in different ways to work and collaborate.’
In these often troubling times, the human spirit can still endure. Music can be an integral part of that battle for freedom and respect. HELP(2), it appears, isn’t about helplessness — it’s about action.
HELP(2) is out tomorrow (6 March) via War Child Records. You can pre-order the album here.
Main image credit: Lawrence Watson
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