The debut track from South London’s Cagework, ‘Simmer’, perfectly manages to bridge the gap between raucous and restrained – mournful vocals spill over cascading waves of spiky guitar, chugging bass spars with shuffling drums and a deft touch on feedback prevents it all from collapsing in on itself.
Twisting hypnotic pop melodies into something artfully defiant, the band is former-South Coast superstar Samuel Bedford’s new project, following a move to Brixton and fleshing out bedroom demos into something full-bodied. Lost somewhere between psych, heavy pop and shimmering indie-rock, Bedford’s voice is perpetually stuck just before breaking point and echoes Manchester’s fallen poster boys WU LYF, cathartically screaming into an empty chasm. It’s an ear worm aimed at those gloating over success and cynically reassures them that they’ll have it ‘tough again’ soon enough.
Talking about the track, Samuel adds “Simmer is a reflection of how nothing is really permanent. I wrote it a year or so ago, at a time when I was in a weird living situation and my friendship group was dissolving around me. I actually tried to pitch it for a Netflix drama but it was quickly brushed over.”
Simmer down? Turn up the heat and count us in for seconds, please.
7th April – The Shacklewell Arms, London
23rd April- The Old Blue Last, London
12th May – The White Rabbit, Bristol
17th May-19th May – The Alternative Escape, Brighton
Photo by Matt Martin