By Paddy Kinsella

Rising alternative trio, Glass Peaks, recently released their genre-blurring debut EP, It’s Raining on the Wrong Side of the Window. Showcasing their refusal to be pigeonholed, it effortlessly moves from the ambience of London is Concrete to the post-grunge of Never Really Left. The band aren’t afraid to express their opinions across the EP, as social media and politics all come in for scrutiny, however, it’s when they speak from the heart that they’re at their most devastating. It’s Raining on the Wrong Side of the Window proves that they have everything required to become a vital one in the London scene and beyond.

Here are their picks for our new feature – Five Right Now:

Jake Cox (Guitarist) 

Easy Life

I absolutely adore this band and their ‘swagger’. The songs are laid back and low fi with a touch of mischief. The blend of instrumentation sets them apart from the rest at the moment. I feel like nobody’s doing what they’re doing in the charts. They’re in there own lane. It’s pop songs with a twist. They don’t seem bothered about big guitar riffs and crowd surfing fans. They’ve almost got a hip hop attitude to them which is so refreshing to see in 2020. (Fun Fact – Before Easy Life, a few members used to be in a reggae band called By The Rivers, which I booked to play one of my nights and they where an incredibly good band) 

Check out their single Earth. It’s a catchy banger of a tune which sounds like if Jamie T, Tyler The Creator and Arctic Monkeys sat down and wrote a drunken pop song. 

Another Sky

I remember first hearing this band on Radio 1 quite a while ago now. It was their first big radio play and I just so happened to be in my car when it got played and I was in shock. This was the kind of music I wanted to make, this is the kind of music I absolutely loved. It was a mix of Radiohead, Warpaint, Everything Everything and so much more. Musically they’re brilliant, vocally and lyrically they are just insanely good. As a band we are huge fans of Another Sky. They’re actually from the same area of London as us too. We’ve become real fan girls over them and have been to a few shows now and met them. Such lovely people. They’ve recently got a song featured on Fifa 2020 and supported some huge names around the UK. It’s been brilliant seeing them get so much attention and exposure they deserve. I actually feel so proud for them. I also feel super honored to be in the car at that exact moment to join them on there journey. 

Check out their single Chillers. I feel like this was the single that really rocketed them into the big time. This band are going to be huge. 

Alfie Jefferies (Vocals)

Wild Cat Strike

To see Wild Cat Strike live is, in my opinion, the best way to understand the true sonic landscape of this band, however, their recorded music does an incredible job of capturing their energy perfectly. I first discovered them in their native Brighton in the summer of 2019. They were playing a mid-afternoon set at Bad Pond festival (an annual all-day festival that takes place at Concord 2, organised by the bands label, Small Pond). 

They’re unapologetically loud and in the same breath beautifully intricate. They write guitar parts that tesselate and weave in and out of one another seamlessly without being intimidated or overshadowed by an all-powerful rhythm section.  Lyrically, they’re hauntingly captivating. They have a way of putting the listener at the centre of their music. Every intricate detail is executed with absolute precision. Even amongst the brooding wall-of-sound moments there are dainty, winding melodies fluttering amidst the chaos. 

Their debut album Rhubarb Nostalgia is an absolutely stunning body of work. If I had to pick just one song for anyone to listen to, I’d suggest Satellite Towns. I feel it serves as a cohesive masterclass in capturing the spectrum of the bands sound. 

Arlo Day

Recently signed to Domino Records, but honing her craft for a long time, Arlo Day is a name I feel we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the coming years. 

She’s a natural storyteller, finding the light in even the bleakest of subjects. She creates the kind of music perfect for soundtracking those contemplative, long distance night-drives. There’s a bit of me that always wants more of the music once it has died; something that I feel is quite hard to achieve.  Her songwriting is exquisite, heartbreaking and gorgeous and her vocal delivery is convincing; you’ll believe every word of what she sings. 

She recently released a body of work entitled Bad Timing, but if I were to give you one song to listen to, it’s an old demo that you can still find on her Soundcloud called In A Vice. It’s the first song of hers that I fell in love with and I urge you to do the same. 

Grant Tugwell (Drums)

Wild Front

If you haven’t already heard the sonic tones of Wild Front, I hope this entices you. Their atmospheric soundscapes and groove ladened songs are wondrous to behold. They are able to create a unique atmosphere with their songs, and lead you on a musical journey that is both rewarding and exciting. Don’t be fooled by their chilled vibe, these boys can crank it when they want to and it’s beautiful. Jack’s docile melodies are contagious; his lyrics are ones of real emotion and strife. I came across these guys a few years ago now, and I’ve been in love ever since. Every song they release just adds to their repertoire of sound, from the chilled, groove driven Physics to the crunchy hard hitting Confetti. 

However, my favourite track has to be Make You Feel. The song rides on a wave of guitars and keyboards throughout, but the chorus erupts with a vocal melody and lyrics that echo hurt and regret. The guitars almost ascend this song to the heavens with their hymnic quality, adding to the anguish of the song. The song crescendos with the chorus line ‘I didn’t mean to make you feel‘ unremitting cementing the theme of the song.  

 

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