The Indie Scene

  Following up from their debut single, Carmen Jones , released last year and accumulating just over 1,600 streams, the Bristol rockers have shaken up the system with their latest release Memorial , a cacophony of orchestral sounds mixed with progressive influence. Photo: Amia Watling With a sound reminiscent of Slint and a hint of Nine Inch Nails , HAAL is a band that wouldn’t sound out of place soundtracking a David Fincher m ovie . Memorial is a track that creeps up on you and rewards you for your patience. Even more rewarding is the wall of distortion in the climax of the song, ending the song in beautiful grandness.  There is evidence of the band's knowledge of music theory in their clever usage of dissonance, a complex time signature, and a complex structure so tasteful that if it was plated up in the Masterchef final, it would be more tear-jerking than getting a 7 from Anthony Fantano. The math-rock influence is unmistakable; beginning with the introduction of the dru...

The well-versed indie veterans, who have been earning their stripes for the best part of a decade, premiered their latest offering on Annie Mac's Radio 1 show. For Wolf Alice fans alike - or anybody who has missed them just as much - it's been a three year wait (we're not counting Ellie's feature on Mura Masa's Teenage Headache Dreams ) that has felt drastically long, no thanks to the current pandemic.  PHOTO: JORDAN HEMINGWAY To no surprise at all, Ellie Rowsell once again proves how astounding she is when it comes to writing in such an effortlessly confessional and intimate way; giving a glimpse into her diary per se. Not to mention the accompanying sublime sounds of strings and the backtracking of Joel and Ellie's vocals layered to sound like a choir, The Last Man On Earth is an endearingly beautiful and harmonic introduction to a new era for the London rockers.  As if today couldn't get any more exciting, the announcement of a third album, Blue Wee...

Since I was first introduced to the rock outfit hailing from Swansea, I've been hooked on their incredibly good back catalogue so, naturally, I was pretty excited to hear they would be releasing a new song and a re-recording of an old favourite of mine.  'Rainbow Sands' is a step in the right direction, showing exactly why Taxi Rank are one of the most exciting young bands to come out of Wales since Stereophonics came to prominence. Not only is it a tangible, easily digestible alternative rock song, it goes hand in hand with the b-side: a re-recording of 'Handprint'.  The production level with the re-recordings and the brand new songs are impeccable; where you could perhaps notice tiny flaws beforehand with previous recordings, they've smoothed them over and showed their progression by giving 'Handprint' a crystal clear new spin.  It's not just the songs that are captivating, but the striking and vibrant artwork that goes along with it. However, thi...

Taxi Rank are a four piece alternative rock band hailing from Swansea who first released their debut single back in March, which proved to be a huge hit and showed their audience what to expect from their new EP, ' The Butterfly Effect '. If you haven't already listened to their massive first single 'Pier' and their shockingly brilliant cover of King Krule's 'Dum Surfer,' then you're missing out on some seriously good tunes. The first song off their debut EP, titled 'The Only One,' may just be my favourite out of the five - however 'Monophobia' may just challenge it to the top spot in my opinion. As well as the electrifying guitar, the lyrics are intriguing to boot. With lines like "I switched all the lights off / To try and hide my face" capturing the audience alongside their impeccable layered instrumentals. Second up, the aptly titled Smoke & Mirrors starts off with Lukas Kelly's raw vocals alongside some asto...

This gig was no different from the others; as soon as I looked at the nearest venues by my university and saw a gig that fell on my second day, I was sold. Although, we had to stay in Sheffield till 5am to get the next train (the last train was at 7pm, when the gig hadn't started yet), we would definitely do it all over again. It's insane how good the prices are for bands who should be on the main stage at festivals and it's always good when you don't have to travel that far. We'd never actually been to Sheffield before but we knew it was renowned for it's venues; Plug, The Leadmill and many more. It's safe to say I was excited, especially when I found out that Get Inuit (now Indoor Pets) would be supporting and I had recently discovered them. Thankfully, just like we had done before, we managed to get to the front after both grabbing a drink and waited patiently for the first act, Babe Punch, to arrive on the stage. Neither of us had heard any of their mu...

Although The Magic Gang weren't playing in our usual gig spot, knowing they would be playing only an hour away from us in such an intimate venue wasn't something we could let slip through our fingers. I knew I had to see them live and, most importantly, nab myself some funky Magic Gang merchandise. They were, and still are, the band I had on a constant loop and one of the bands high-up on my must-see list. The first band we were saw were an all-male band from Liverpool (which we could tell by lead singer Kevin's very strong Liverpudlian accent) and they impressed us with their stage presence and intriguing lyrics. Personally, my favourite song was (and still is) 'Losing Your Love' for it's relatable lyrics and a beat you can't help but nod your head to. However, all the songs were performed amazingly and Paris Youth Foundation is a band I definitely recommend seeing live. They remind me of Circa Waves mixed with a little bit of The Night Cafe due to their...

Unsurprisingly, as soon as I saw an advertisement for Vant's Esquires gig, I knew I had to go. No matter what we had planned for the 31st of March (now over a few months ago), we were going to that gig. I was pleasantly surprised to see the tickets were cheap for such a quality act - especially as we had sustained the bargain of seeing three amazing acts in one night. As I had previously listened to Tangerines, the only act left as an unknowing surprise were 'Timeless Lizards'. With the promise of two headliners for the price of one, I knew the night would be better than either of us could anticipate. If you've ever been to see one of your favourite bands, especially after they've played the likes of Reading and Leeds, then you know the feeling you get from the intimacy, the sweaty mosh pit, but most of all the pride. However, it's an indescribable feeling - knowing that the band you're seeing in this epically cozy venue will probably never play to such a ...

Once the chance to see such a promising upcoming band in an intimate venue arose, it would've been a crime to miss out. With Freak also performing, it was almost like seeing two headliners for the price of one. However, we hadn't heard of Superego before, but they did not disappoint in proving they had the capability of headlining their own gig soon. This was definitely a night to remember and all great bands to get into, whether you already like Black Honey or not. Superego got the night under way, showcasing their supreme songs during their 30 minute support slot. They have a unique, dynamic sounds that got everyone dancing, up until the moment when the amp blew and the set had to be stopped temporarily. However, they recovered from the interruption quickly and continued to deliver a powerful set, which left the crowd wanting more. Definitely a band to look out for in the months to come, as are Freak and Black Honey. Freak then took to the stage and got the crowd goin...