The post-punk scene is commonly thought as an 80s scene, but it’s been having a bit of a resurgence of late, alongside a whole host of other 80s music styles and cultural icons. It’s never been my favourite genre, but after hearing some of the talent out there in the underground post-punk scene, I decided it was high time we focused on the style of music, giving it its very own dedicated review! There’s also a full playlist at the end if you wanna cut straight to streaming these killer tracks!
Review by Jane Howkins
Photo of proFESSional
proFESSional – Television
First up we have proFESSional with their new tune Television, seeing the band add a brand new spin on an older genre. The track has a fantastic energy to it, as the vocals seep through the killer riffs with an unmistakeable swagger, making this band one to watch for the future! The verses use a nice melodic guitar lick that gets in your head on the very first listen, before the choruses explode, using the dynamics and rhythm of the piece to really draw attention to this cool song. The track culminates with some cool chanting on the bridge, repeating the titular refrain over and over again.
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Blindness & Light – Butterfly
Butterfly is the latest original single to be released by Blindness & Light, a band we featured a few times in 2023. Whilst there are moments of post-punk here, I was also reminded a lot of the early indie music made in the 80s, showing a band capable of a few different styles! It sure is a gorgeous piece of work, seeing the Yorkshire-based collective use some cool guitar effects that combine well with the upbeat rhythm and prominent bass line. The verses ooze cool but the chorus is really something special, seeing Blindness & Light create something damn beautiful at times!
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The Tact – Underflow
The Tact is an unlikely group, formed by father and son duo Nico & Charles Germain, with Underflow showing how just how well they work together! It’s a bluesy rock song with more than a hint of the old school punk scene, creating one tune that will have you falling in love with their sound on the very first listen! The guitar licks absolutely ooze a sense of attitude and cool, appealing to those into their heavier music styles. However, it’s an undeniably catchy tune, even adding a little indie and funk in for good measure, appealing to fans of most genres. I can’t wait to hear what The Tact come up with next time!
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Echoviolet – Behind Those Eyes
It’s always great to welcome an act back to these pages, but particularly when it’s a local band hailing from Yorkshire like Echoviolet! Behind Those Eyes is a really cool sounding tune, changing rapidly about halfway through to almost become another song! The first half of the track has a slow and almost menacing sound, getting right underneath your skin on the very first listen. However, towards the end, the piece picks up the pace, turning instead into a fast punk song with plenty pf frenetic riffage, seeing the band truly make the song their own!
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The Open Flames – Drop A Coin
Drop A Coin sees The Open Flames taking a slightly different route from the previous song, incorporating a good dose of melancholic indie rock into proceedings. It’s a pretty dark sounding song, but the themes work well with the music, also incorporating a nice groove into the tune. The vocals are used well too – the lead vocals drift through the track with ease, as a chorus of backing vocals appear in the background, adding a pretty layer to the tune. Just try and listen to Drop A Coin without wanting to sing along – it’s virtually impossible with this catchy number!
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Clare Easdown – Rebel Hearts
Next up we have Australian singer-songwriter Clare Easdown with her fantastic new tune Rebel Hearts, celebrating individuality in every note! The track starts out with some interesting vocal effects, before the song kicks in proper – the music is a little quiet, but the main focal point remains on Clare’s banging vocal style, taking centre stage here. The recorded spoken vocals appear once again on the catchy chorus, blending in and out of the music against the lead vocals, making for one piece of music that is extremely unique!
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Twice Dark – Telekinetic
Twice Dark is an American project that incorporates elements of darkwave, goth, industrial, coldwave, synth-pop, post-punk and electronica, making for one amazing package altogether! Telekinetic is a perfect example of their sound, truly harking back to the 80s glory days of the scene, whilst also incorporating a modern production style into the mix. The vocals are really strong too, having that typical post-punk sound we’ve all come to know and love from the genre, as a range of catchy synths dance around in the background, drawing you into Telekinetic’s hooky world on the first listen.
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Niels Rahder – The Times Are Now
Finally, we have the captivating Niels Rahder with his new single release, The Times Are Now. What’s interesting about this song is that it actually includes a lot of other genres, and the post-punk elements don’t immediately stand out. There’s very much an alt rock/grunge sound to the tune too, and whilst the production quality is a little raw, it’s clear that there’s some serious talent on offer here. The vocals are a little quiet in the mix, but they’re full of passion – the guitar licks are awesome too, creating a menacing sound that fans of heavier music styles should love.
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Unknown Pleasures – playlist by York Calling | Spotify