Lyena
London trio Lyena claim that they were brought together in the chaos of their home city and their latest single 'Boys Toys' provides good evidence for this with its instantly hectic atmosphere. The drums drive a hard rhythm with their rolling hi hat pattern while the guitar is deep and gravelly, adding a bite behind the vocals.
Talking of the vocals on this track, they are snappy and direct. Each line has that one syllable that pops out and slaps you round the face just in case you weren't listening and the track's best moments come when the vocal delivery matches up with the drum rhythm to create a jagged sound. Their previous releases have always bathed in chaos yet this track, with its constant shift in rhythm and mood, shows that they have a slick technical proficiency as well as a lively hectic nature.
Deadletter
In contrast to the minimalistic dynamic of Lyena's trio are the new 6-piece outfit Deadletter. It is an instant sign of quality when a new single has the Nice Swan Records seal of approval across it and the label behind Sports Team, Pip Blom, FEET etc have spotted a gem once again. Their new release 'Hero' takes a more considered approach to Post Punk, using their instrumentals to set a tense atmosphere that commands you to listen to the deep and poignant tone of the vocals.
They make use of their varied line up and indulge in a range of instrumentation, from the popping woodblocks that maintain a perpetual energy among the instrumental atmospherics to the brass addition that breathes a rich cinematic element into the track in a style comparable to Black Country, New Road. Each member is used to full effect, creating layers of sound that tangle and intertwine at a measured pace. Yet, the track still leaves time for a high-energy pay off to the thoughtful build as the final 45 seconds see all elements melt together in a frantic, frenzied finale.
Saloon Dion
Talking of Nice Swan Records, their latest addition to their roster is another punchy Post-Punk act. Their music shares a lot of similarities to their new label mates Deadletter with their new single 'HEY HEY' punctuating the rhythm with the click of a cowbell in a similarly relentless style. However, this so called 'Unintentional super group' take a much more expressive approach. The lead vocals have an angsty drawl that lands freely, allowing the layered riffs and subtle electronic insertions to play off them and flavour the mix.
What really grabs the ear with this track though is the interplay between the voices of the whole band. The lead vocals are backed by a loose chorus of accompaniment by the rest of the members which creates an audible camaraderie infused with both a fun spirit and an angsty bite. This slightly messy but subtly intricate style that has a cohesive, collective feel rings of Leed's up comers Eades and sounds perfect for a cramped live setting.
Scrounge
After two years out since their ‘Ideal’ EP, the London duo returned in 2021 with the single ‘Leaking Drains’ yet fans have had to wait another year for their next dose of Scrounge. This wait is now over as the pair have come back with their latest offering ‘This Summer’s Been Lethal’.
The new track explores a slightly Grungier melancholic feel. The echoed guitar line is tightly rolled and rings of the darker Emo riffs that have been coming out of the Pop Punk revival. It instantly sets the tone that this won’t just be a quick fire Punk burst. Instead it is a reflective and thoughtful track that talks of fading pleasures.
The opening line “serotonin doesn’t speak to me the way it used to” sums up the mood of the song as it develops a frustrated atmosphere to which we can all relate to some extent after the summer we’ve had. Disconnection and painful memories ring around the chambers of this Grunge Punk track while a notable funk drum beat provides just the spark needed to pick the atmosphere out of the doldrums and create a great balance between sunken eyed melancholia and rhythmic angsty energy.
MEMES
If you felt a slight disappointment that Scrounge’s single isn’t just a quick fire Punk burst then the latest release from self labelled ‘laptop Rock’ duo MEMES may be the one for you. The thick, bouncy tom drumbeat of their new track ‘Second Thought’ is peppered with a erratic vocal shouts that are simultaneously punchy and purposeful as well as loose and nonchalant.
The main base of the song is a perpetual driving Punk force that keeps rolling with a high octane and intentionally messy style. However moments that standout are the hectic drum performances that sound completely random and improvised yet somehow manage get to stay cohesive with the song. Drumrolls and rim shots tumble and trip over one another in a beautifully wild fashion and create an audible barrage so that your ears don’t quite know which sound to follow. It is an impressively packed out sound for just two people to produce and is an early indicator of their potential as a band.
Gag Salon
Gag Salon are “the surviving members of a function band gone up in flames” who “invite you to interrogate the undesirable”. The crisp and scratchy guitar riff that opens their latest track ‘Horses’ is reminiscent of Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ ‘Can’t Stop’ with its up tempo Indie Rock bite. However it is quickly replaced by a shattering wall of sound. The drums are pounding and the guitars are fuzzy, swirling all around and covering every inch of space within the song. Fast paced intricate interplaying rhythms then take over as the vocals interject with a confident Franz Ferdinand esc swagger. By now you might have guessed that this style doesn’t linger long.
The sonic space clears briefly, allowing for a more drawn out and cinematic vocal display before the mood switches once more into an erratic Punk whirlwind. This track is ever changing, galloping between bouncy Indie Rock riffs and frantic Post-Punk onslaughts. It is a great display of their technical proficiency!
Headshrinkers
Often commended for the artistic finesse of their lyricism, Headshrinkers have dropped their first music of 2022 with their new single 'Doorway Conversation'. The track bursts out of the traps fully formed, taking no time to develop the sound and instead blasting you with a high tempo Punk rhythm from the very first second. The vocals are perhaps the most hard hitting of this list as they land poignantly, dipping between fast paced spoken monlogues and a direct, Rock chorus.
Everything in this track happens so quickly that it can be hard to focus on one thing at a time but if you dig deep into the belly of the track you'll lovely tumbling guitar lines, thoughtful lyrics and a rolling vocal cascade that adds a poetic flurry into a high-energy Post Punk ramble. However, if you aren't in the mood for a Punk dissection then just tune out and let the natural, raw energy of the song flow through you.
Home Counties
Bristol outfit Home Counties are about as lively and eclectic as they come. Their early releases are filled with bouncing Indie-dance beats and care-free, somewhat erratic, vocal lines that create an infectious energy. Their latest EP 'In A Middle English Town' captures these same atmospheres yet applies a warped electronic filter across their usual upbeat songwriting.
This is best highlighted in the fractured jumpiness of 'Ad Gammon'. The vocals carry more of a bite whilst industrial electro sounds churn up rhythm in a disjointed digital attack. The deep backing vocal line rumble's underneath which combines with the other elements to form an insanely dense concoction that has so much to digest! With equal helpings of social commentary, intricate instrumentation, lively energy and textural electronics this new EP captures all the best elements of the new Post Punk wave.
LISTEN TO TRACKS FROM ALL THESE AND MORE ON OUR LISTEN UP PLAYLIST!
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