“There’s never been a good band from London”: The 10 most exciting artists in Leeds right now
“There’s never been a good band from London,” sings Thank frontman Freddy Vinehill-Cliffe on the band’s 2022 hit single ‘Dread’. It’s a line that’s sure to irk the capital city dwellers, and it’s not necessarily true, but it is a good place to start while discussing the increasing detachment of London from success in the music industry. Bands up north have to do far more work to attract the eyes of wider audiences and music industry executives, creating their own opportunities and communities to nurture one another, and Leeds is currently leading the charge.
Over the last few years, a number of bands from the West Yorkshire city have turned their regional success into national, including post-punk outfit Yard Act and art-rockers English Teacher. Earlier this year, the latter even took home the coveted Mercury Prize for their debut album, This Could Be Texas, becoming the first non-London band to take home the award since 2014. As a result, more eyes have turned to Leeds, seeking out the talent that exists somewhere between the Brudenell and Belgrave Music Hall.
And the city is full of bands deserving of that attention. There are heavy, noise-loving outfits that thrive in basement venues like Thank and Fuzz Lightyear. There’s experimental ambient group Bug Teeth, genre-blending master Hang Linton, and cowboy rockers Gladboy. Leeds is brimming over with exciting new acts working tirelessly to hone their craft and to create communities in the city, and you can walk into almost any DIY venue any night of the week and find something truly inimitable.
Whether you’re looking for loud, ear-piercing music to blast through your headphones or soft, Americana-inspired twangs to soothe you through the winter, the Leeds scene quite literally has it all. As the city gathers more interest in its music scene, we’ve curated a list of ten of the most exciting artists to watch in Leeds right now.
From synth-loving seven-piece Adult DVD, which everyone should make an effort to see live at least once, to emo shoegaze outfit Shaene to post-punk outfit Drahla, find our full list below. And who knows, there might be another Mercury Prize winner lurking among them.
The 10 most exciting bands in Leeds right now:
English Teacher
When English Teacher took to the stage at Abbey Road Studios earlier this year, nervously but deservedly claiming their Mercury Prize win for This Could Be Texas, they put Leeds on the map. Now, all eyes are on the city, and rightfully so. Spawning from the city’s music college in 2020, the four-piece honed a distinctive sound sitting somewhere between prog, post-punk, and electronica, completely disregarding the boundaries of genre.
Frontwoman Lily Fontaine’s lyrics pull heavily from science fiction, laden with references to Doctor Who and Stanley Kubrick, but they never feel out of reach, grounded by more personal experiences of navigating the music scene as a woman of colour and defensive declarations of, “I’m not crying, you’re crying!” Enticing guitar riffs and moments of strange strings and electronics surround her words, in what is now a Mercury Prize-certified sound.
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “The Leeds music scene is constantly humming with some new artistic facet. This band’s more than just the best name-pun in our solar system. They’re Leeds-based Fuzz Lightyear, and they’ve enough arena-filling riffs to go to the moon and back via the A58. Their latest offering, recently transmitted to us from the planet Morph, ‘My Body’ seems their most distilled creation yet.”
“Unlike Buzz Lightyear, who is slightly clueless to cultures, Fuzz Lightyear are a band that embodies Leeds’ communitarian spirit, its inclusivity and boundless expressiveness. It’s bands like these that spearhead the inception of new venues, host parties with a little something for everyone and, of course, write stompers of cosmic proportions. When you inevitably attend a Fuzz Lightyear show, prepare to be pulverised, reduced to mere particles and sucked into a black hole in a galaxy far, far away. Let us fill said black-hole, and may many a stadium be filled by this band’s hooks.” (Nick Eden, bass)
Fuzz Lightyear
Fuzz Lightyear have been playing in dingy basements and DIY venues around the north for years now, honing a sound that a friend of mine once aptly compared to a slap in the face. Sludgy guitars go up against thrashing drums, which, in turn, compete with torrents of noise provided by relative newcomer Alex Calder. Frontman Ben Parry shouts just loud enough for his vocals to sit just atop, with lyrics that borrow from history as much as personal experience.
Following in the footsteps of good friends English Teacher, Fuzz Lightyear recently signed to Nice Swan Records, unleashing their blistering first single with the label, ‘My Body’, and there seems to be more in the can. It’s a track that shows off their talent for catchy riffs and blistering noise, living up to bassist Varun Govil’s description of the band. “We’re a very loud and fast band,” he shares, “And I think we always will be.”
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “Best band in Leeds is Pest Control, only cowards would disagree. Super fun cross-over thrash act that are real about everything they do. Also shout-out Neve Cariad, Adult DVD, and Floco. Princess Elf Bar and DJ Subaru, too. Leeds rules, let us write about everyone making music here and why they’re the best at it.” (Varun Govil, bass)
Bug Teeth
Bug Teeth may share a synth player with Fuzz Lightyear, but their sound couldn’t be much more different from the noise-rockers. Led by head bug and frontperson PJ, Bug Teeth create atmospheric collages that dazzle in a live setting, laying glitches and drawn-out synths over impossibly fast drums provided in turn by both George and Sonny. And they all don matching green hats while they weave sonic tapestries on stage.
PJ’s vocals float above the strange, surreal soundscapes, grounding the tracks in discussions of grief and literary references. Their lyrics are straightforward, often delivered with pauses in between and the occasional shout, grounding the otherwise airy and ethereal sounds that surround them. “The music scene here is so supportive,” says PJ, discussing their adopted new home of Leeds, “With such expansive genres, and everyone genuinely wants each other to succeed. I feel very lucky to be making music here – long may Leeds reign.
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “I have probably too many favourite artists here, and as new acts spawn so regularly, it becomes very hard to narrow it down. My current most-listened-to artist is Floco, a solo musician who’s making the most gorgeously ethereal ambient folk. Along the lines of Björk and Linda Perhacs, her vocals and glitchy electronics take me away to somewhere softer. ‘Like the Soil’, her latest single, makes me cry. I would highly recommend catching a show!” (PJ, vocalist)
Gladboy
Bug Teeth’s sister group Gladboy don’t have too much-recorded material attached to their name online, but that hasn’t stopped them from gaining a cult following in their adopted home city. They’re the kind of live band that leaves you wanting more, captivating audiences with their catchy, cowboy-friendly sound and inimitable presence on-stage, flitting between calm, country-inspired strums and staggering psych with ease.
Their most recent release ‘Johnny Come Lately’, shows off that softer side to Gladboy, with gently swerving twangs and gorgeous harmonies, while ‘Karloff’ provides a glimpse at their smokier, psych-influenced sound, fit with Orton’s fears of the Frankenstein actor who gives the song its namesake. But their live set is full of more bangers, each desperate for a studio release.
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “Turnspit are without a doubt destined for great things. Private, concocting gross-genre oddities with an ear for crafty hooks that long outstay their welcome. This is music to writhe to.” (Sonny Mitchell, drums)
Adult DVD
It’s not always easy to get members of the Leeds music scene to move their feet. They tend to prefer a subtle nod or a toe-tap, but Adult DVD seem to achieve this near-impossible feat every time they take to the stage. The synth-loving six-piece recently sold out the city’s most beloved venue, the Brudenell Social Club, treating audiences to a set full of grainy grooves and singalong-worthy choruses.
Their sound, and sometimes their equipment, seems to spill over the stage and into the crowd, creating one of the most collective gig-going experiences Leeds has to offer. The band recently captured their inimitable live show on record with their new EP, Next Day Shipping, which is just as filled to the brim with raucous synths and catchy choruses. “The Leeds music scene has grown ridiculously in the past couple of years,” comments frontman Harry Hanson, “There’s so many good artists about now. And although Leeds is tiny, there’s such an eclectic mix of music coming out.”
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “Turnspit. Yet to release any music, but you’ll have the tunes in your head just from seeing them live. Go see them!” (Harry Hanson, vocalist)
Drahla
There’s something about Leeds that produces great live bands, and Drahla are no exception. The art-rock outfit have been knocking around West Yorkshire for years now, and their most recent record, Angeltape, proved exactly why they’re a mainstay in the city. Vocalist Luciel Brown’s inviting yet alien vocals pull phrases apart at will, undeterred by the raucous saxophones and riffs that compete with them. Each and every member has mastered their sound, and they work together to create something greater, something harsh and entrancing all at once.
It’s a sound that thrives on record just as much as it thrives in the hallowed halls of Hebden Trades Club or in a social club on the outskirts of Leeds. And it’s emblematic of the city, owing to its post-punk past and pushing for its future, inventing new guitar riffs for music nerds and casual listeners alike to fawn over. Drahla’s sound is difficult not to love.
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “I’ve always been drawn in by the projects Michael Cable has been involved with, and was very glad to see the formation of Vehicle after the withdrawal of Perspex. For me, the rawness and energy on all the Vehicle recordings are unequalled. There is a palpable brittleness there as if they could all fall apart at any moment. All of this held together with abstract lyricism, which feels like it was put together using William Burroughs’ cut-up technique.” (Ewan Barr, guitar)
Neve Cariad
Acting as Leeds’ answer to Julia Jacklin, Neve Cariad helms from the softer side of the scene, wielding an acoustic guitar to wreak emotional destruction with her heartfelt folk songs. Inspired by the likes of Joni Mitchell, The Carpenters and Camera Obscura, Cariad pairs gorgeous guitar melodies with gentle drums and the occasional saxophone, her smooth voice driving the emotion of each track.
Cariad’s band are also pulled from various other bands in the scene, recruiting the sharply dressed Connall and Kurtis from Prima Star Power on guitars while Green Gardens drummer Bob Henderson takes up the sticks. Together, they cushion Cariad’s smooth voice and her stirring lyrics with a bed of Americana and folk, soundtracking Leeds with a newfound softness and more off-kilter influences.
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “My pick at the moment is Nylon Nyeshi, they’re a duo. Toby’s instrumentals are like a fusion of electronic and jazz, and Becca has a rich, warm voice, and they create these amazing, interesting melodies. There’s something nostalgic about them, but also so new. They’re incredibly unique, and I think everyone should listen out for them!”
Thank
There are few bands quite as intertwined with the Leeds scene as Thank. They first met at community space Chunk before honing a distinctively noisy and witty sound somewhere between Wharf Chambers and various dingy practice spaces. Now, they’re one of the most inimitable bands in Leeds, primarily because of Freddy Vinehill-Cliffe’s mischievous vocal delivery and pointed, playful lyricism.
But the instrumentation that surrounds Vinehill-Cliffe’s observations about modern culture is just as entertaining. Bouncy synths and drums push the songs into groovier directions that leave audiences flailing around before Thank plunge their sound back into walls of noise and thrashing drums. It’s all over the place in the best way possible.
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “I just love bands. Really excited about The Oidz. I really like Gullet Obvs, which is Kathy from Nape Neck’s new band. They’re really exciting. What else? I think Cobblestoning is a very cool band, a new gore grind thing. It’s not a genre that I’m usually super into, but what’s cool is that it’s a concept band about Crohn’s Disease.” (Freddy Vinehill-Cliffe, vocalist)
Shaene
Last year, part-time shoegazer and part-time emo enthusiast Shaene released her debut album, recruiting almost every member of Fuzz Lightyear plus soloist Mage Tears to help her out in the studio. Time lost / time regained paired Shaene’s vulnerable discussions of change, identity, and feeling dumb with a singularly delicate shoegaze sound, proving to be one of the most exciting records to come out of Leeds in years.
Shaene’s emo-inspired vocals drive the songs, enunciating every emotion, from exhaustion on ‘Sad’ to yearning on ‘Tom’, while her bandmates align their instruments perfectly with her words. Drummer Josh Taylor softens his sound for the quieter moments, upping the intensity for those essential climaxes, while guitarist Ben employs pedals for that gorgeously soft shoegaze sound.
“I’ve been a part of the Leeds DIY scene now for over ten years, and the community of the scene here is so important,” shared Shaene, “I love that everyone plays in everyone else’s band, that there is such a tight-knit group of support, and that we are so spoilt for choice with independent venues. I feel proud to be part of a scene where people are putting out such great music. I’m also lucky to be a part of it now, where lineups are much more diverse than they used to be. I thought here was a lot more work to be done!”
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “Mage Tears is probably my favourite artist from Leeds – she also used to play in my band before moving away. I find the honesty of her lyrics really moving, and I love how she thematically brings her artwork, production, and personality across cohesively and in an authentic way. We first met around eight years ago, and it’s been such a privilege to finally see her get the attention and love she and her music deserves!” (Shaene, vocalist)
Hang Linton
Hang Linton is one of those artists who completely resists genre classification. They pull in elements of alternative rock, hip-hop, avant-funk, and everything in between to create a sound that is truly authentic and inimitable. Certain influences can be pinpointed, such as Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz or the experimental work of Yves Tumour, but their sound never feels derivative due to its kaleidoscopic range of references.
The inimitable nature of Hang’s music also stems from their lyricism and vocal delivery, both of which flit between playful expression and more serious sincerity with ease. ‘Sale’, for example, pushes into themes of consumerism over a bouncy synth line. Although the song starts with Hang casually listing off sale items like antique tea sets and drain cleaner, the song gradually begins to critique capitalism, declaring, “Discounts on discounts but don’t discount the fact, we bought it all for cheap with the sweat off someone else’s back.”
Their pick for most exciting Leeds band: “Too many to choose from, but I’m most excited by Draaags – they’ve got a raw energy and DIY spirit that’s electrifying.”
