Local rap punks Sleuth Gang prove ones to watch with their debut EP, Initiation.

By Graeme Smith

Based just down the road in Leeds, Sleuth Gang are made up seven members, three of which hail from our very own York. They’re promising us plenty of York live dates next year. They recently took part in Young Thugs’ Welcome to the North showcase at their studios and won the Fulford Arms Battle of the Bands.

We haven’t written about any of their music on this blog before, and that’s happily changing courtesy of their debut EP, Initiation.

With a truly DIY approach, the record was written, produced, and recorded entirely in their guitarist Kristian’s spare bedroom and gives us five flavours of their distinct rap punk.

After an atmospheric Intro we get right into it with the BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music celebrated single Sleuth Season. It’s a track that combines the band’s love of modern punk bands like Soft Play with legends like The Prodigy. At the same time, we get plenty of Yorkshire flavour and chest-out attitude.

Title track Initiation sits at the heart of the EP, giving us plenty of moodiness and criminal intent. It bleeds naturally into the vibrant wordplay of Headshot. The rhyming rhythm of the verse is beautifully blended with a screamed chorus. The collection is then completed by Pity Party. A pulsating arrangement gets things started before biting, visceral lyrics come in. The gang then leave it all out there during a chanting, anthemic chorus.

I’m not just saying it because they’re local boys, Sleuth Gang have really got something. A vibrant sound and plenty of swagger, I bet they’re as good live as they are on record (maybe even better.) I’m going to keeping an eye on them from now on – they could be the next big thing on the UK rock scene.

Initiation is out now and you can give it a listen below.