Mush definitely turned heads at their album launch gig at Brudenell last Saturday. 3D Routine, which debuted on Valentine’s Day, holds a certain vitality that only imaginatively experimental sound can achieve.  The intimate venue of Brudenell Social Club captures this sound perfectly, reconnecting the Leeds based group with their Yorkshire roots. All band members stood unbashful in coordinating suits and the constant dialogue with the crowd, portrayed Mush’s genuine gratitude and awe at their expanding fanbase. With casual remarks from lead singer, Daniel Hyndman, “yeah, we just wrote this one this morning” you know the sound is as fresh as it gets. The atmosphere was, as is always the case in my experience of Brudenell, extremely invigorating and the main floor backing up to the bar was respectably full. 

The sound of Mush has the feel of Omni meets Parquet Courts but also fully holds its own in the alternative scene. ‘Revising My Fee’ gives an interesting social commentary on the financial stability of the younger generation (“always in debt, we’re always in debt” is clearly a relatable lyric for all the students out there) but the iconic twanging guitar is what I feel gives this song true standing. 

Also, undeniably worth a mention- the supports Yard Act and Roxy Girls. Yard Act wowed with the smooth integration of a spoken poem in new song Peanuts. I feel like few could make this transition without it being at least a tiny bit awkward, so they are worthy of a listen, especially if you’re a fan of Shame or Fontaines DC. Closely following were Roxy Girls, Sunderland based with the style of The Futureheads. They gave classic Northern charm and were left unfazed by technical difficulties, swiftly descending into self-deprecating banter when their hi-hat stand broke. 

Mush tease their new album 3D Routine, “peel back the tunnel, dimensionally challenged 2D suckers. This is the next step!”. They are a band that screams ‘watch this space!’ and their fresh sound is bound to captivate the imaginations of many an indie rocker. 

Header image from Loud and Quiet.