In recent months, I’ve dived deep into the post-rock and post-metal genres. Finally, I decided it would be a good time to delve into the world of post-punk, a scene that first came into the mainstream in the 80s. Since then, the style has grown rapidly, with many different sub-genres emerging over the years. Every band/artist in this review belongs firmly in the post-punk genre, but they’re all a little different from one another – give the playlist at the bottom a stream to find your new favourite artist!
Review by Jane Howkins
Photo by SIR-VERE
SIR-VERE – Peer Pressure
I first discovered Milton Keynes-based act SIR-VERE back in January of this year – now he returns with a killer new tune titled Peer Pressure. It starts out in rapid style with a simple yet huge sounding drum beat, drawing you in straight away. A selection of intriguing guitar chords emerge, underpinning SIR-VERE’s eccentric vocal stylings perfectly. Peer Pressure is a really unique sounding track, yet the chorus also manages to be pretty darn catchy, appealing to fans of multiple genres.
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Radio Psychosis – In This Country
Runcorn band Radio Psychosis are one of my favourite acts on this list. Their song, In This Country, encapsulates everything I love about the post-punk genre, adding a modern indie twist into proceedings. The track opens in cool style with some amazing guitar melodies, setting the tone for the rest of the song. It’s got a fairly fast beat, constantly driving the music forward, as the vocals croon along with passion over the top. If you like your post-punk, then In This Country is an absolute must listen.
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A Day in Venice – Through the Embers of Hell
Through the Embers of Hell is a song that also mixes some rock and classic indie into the mix, created by Italian group A Day in Venice. The production is really tight here, making the entire thing sound absolutely huge. The drums keep perfect timing, as waves of synths and guitar melodies dance around within the music, providing a really cool and expansive sound. It’s great to hear more female vocalists in this genre too, with the vocals having a dreamy vibe, adding yet another cool style into the track!
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Carousel – Debt
Debt is another song that mixes a few genres together, also having a lot in common with the rock, hip-hop and punk genres. The main guitar lick that opens the track up is groovy and cool, rising up on the chorus and becoming something remarkably heavy. The vocals are sort of half rapped/half sung, making for something really distinctive on Carousel’s song. The track simply oozes attitude, although it’s still fairly melodic and catchy throughout, showing that this is one artist that can blend different styles together seamlessly!
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Kallai – Always/Never
Kallai is a relatively new band on the scene, but already they sound incredible accomplished! As well as the obvious post-punk sounds, I also felt Always/Never had something of a shoegaze/dream-pop quality – particularly in terms of the production style and the vocals. The vocals are a little distant in the mix, but this seems to be a stylistic choice and they work rather well, weaving in and out of the atmospheric music. The riffs are pretty heavy when they kick in, suiting those into their heavier music styles too.
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Mark Mallman – Seen My Own Ghost
Seen My Own Ghost is a track with a definitive 80s sound, although it also sees Mark Mallman adding a modern twist to the genre. It opens with some delicious synths, backed by some nice piano chords and a steady bass and beat. It’s undeniably hooky – I found the track got stuck in my head after just one listen! Mark’s got a really nice tone to his voice too, crooning along to the music in perfect timing. The synths re-emerge once again on the chorus, bubbling away in a lovely way underneath the lead vocals.
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Second Idol – Boxing Ring
Next up is Sydney-based band Second Idol with their new tune, Boxing Ring. There’s a bit of a build up at the start, with the drums leading into the track nicely. The guitars are used really effectively here, tailing off in a distorted manner that really helps to add an atmosphere to the piece. The vocals sound great too, and it’s wonderful to hear more female vocalists performing this style of music. They’re full of emotion here, simply soaring over the music as the piece progresses to its satisfying conclusion.
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Andreas Gavlén – A Perfect Lie
Swedish artist Andreas Gavlén mixes a touch of classic indie rock and shoegaze into the mix on A Perfect Lie, as well as the conventional post-punk vibes. The production is a little raw, but it actually adds to the ambience of the mix, making it all seem very dreamy. Andreas’ vocals also suit the post-punk vibes of the song well, having quite a distinctive tone to them. The guitars are epic here, seeing Andreas create some lovely little clean guitar notes that tail off from the main riff, which pulsates away nicely in the background with the bass and drums.
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Electric Rime – Tales
Electric Rime are a four piece alternative band from Kyiv in Ukraine, with Tales showing extreme talent already! There’s a lot going on here, so it’s the sort of song you’ll need to listen to a few times over to fully appreciate everything. The bass is fuzzy, throbbing through the music in a wonderful way, as little guitar notes slowly break free from the main melody, echoing nicely. This is another track with a classic post-punk vocal style, appealing to older fans of the genre. The music adds a modern vibe into the genre though, appealing to newer fans too.
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LB Beistad – Dogma
Tennessee artist LB Beistad is another genre-bender, also including moments of dream-pop and indie in her latest release, Dogma. It’s a really upbeat and positive sounding song, and it’s nice to hear a track with post-punk elements that also features so much organic instrumentation. The vocals may take a while to get used to as they’re rather unique, but they’ve got a nice syrupy quality, drifting through the music with ease. If you like your music on the more experimental side of things, then this is for you!
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Unknown Pleasures – playlist by York Calling | Spotify