Humour ‘Plagiarist’
The release of ‘Plagiarist’ by Humour is paired with the announcement of their debut album ‘Learning Greek’, out August 8th via So Young Records. The 11 songs of “Learning Greek” combine lithe riffs, throat-stripping intensity and a crushing take on the fabled loud/quiet dynamic, with the record following two critically-acclaimed EPs from the band – 2022’s “Pure Misery” and 2023’s “A Small Crowd Gathered To Watch Me”. With last year largely set aside to write new material, the band returned last month with “Neighbours”, a heavy, decisively robust comeback from the five-piece and one that saw Humour added to the BBC 6 Music playlist for the first time.
Vocalist Andreas Christoloudis had the following to say about its themes: “Plagiarist is about being a lyricist and having run out of ideas and inspiration. In the song, the character is under pressure to put words to music written by the band, and realises that he can’t even steal lines from his favourite books because he has already used them all. He fears being discovered as a fraud and being punished for it with death.”
Produced by Idlewild’s Rod Jones at his Post Electric studio in Edinburgh, “Learning Greek” will be available on CD, standard LP, a Dinked edition LP with exclusive colour and sleeve design, and a Rough Trade exclusive edition LP paired to a zine with lyrics and illustrations from Andreas.
The Zebecks ‘Persona’
Inspired by their Scottish indie predecessors, the likes of Frightened Rabbit, Twin Atlantic, and We Were Promised Jetpacks, Persona takes the listener on a transcendental journey through the mind of vocalist Dan Thomson who describes it as “my psyche sprawled out on the table.” Dealing with themes of anxiety, internal conflict, binaries, and renewal, Persona showcases a palpable maturity to the band’s sound and an intimacy to their storytelling that their past releases have been building up to.
Speaking on the track Dan reflects “Persona was written at a very difficult time in the band. At the end of 2024 it felt like we were misaligned and on different pages creatively after a full-on year of gigging, leaving little time to write or even just hang out as friends. For me personally, my year was full of stress and panic attacks, ultimately bringing me to the verge of a mental breakdown – this song is an expression of my mental state and an excursion of my internal struggle.”
Building from ‘Persona’, the band have unlocked a soundscape unique to them which entwines their Scottish traditional influences with anthemic indie rock. Working with producer Jamie Holmes (Gerry Cinnamon, Joesef) and visual artists Daniel Blake and Oli Erskine, 2025 is proving to be the year the band fully establish their artistic identity and vision. Cited as ones to watch in 2025 by BBC Radio Scotland, The Zebecks will embark on their first major festival slots this summer at Stag & Dagger Glasgow (03/05) and Liverpool Sound City (04/05).
Basht. ‘Burn’
Fast-risers Basht. have boasted an exceptional couple of years of growth, elevating to new highs in 2025. Available on red and black splatter vinyl, the second EP from Dublin’s Basht. beholds the name ‘Bitter & Twisted’, launching through LAB Records on Friday 9th of May. An action-packed month of touring in May is lined up for the four-piece, with acclaimed venues and festivals booked such as Liverpool’s Sound City, The Great Escape Festival in Brighton, Dot to Dot Festival, Supersonic Block Party and a headline show at Glasgow’s very own King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut on 22nd May.
Driven by melancholic vocals and a profound guitar riff, ‘Burn’ builds on the notable run of singles Basht. have been producing this year such as ‘Stockholm’ and ‘Vain’. In comparison to their debut EP ‘Dirty White Lies’ made available just last year, the group have introduced maturity in such a short time – with raw, vulnerable lyricism and direct instrumentation reminiscent of their fellow Dubliners’ Fontaines D.C. second album, ‘A Hero’s Death’.
Bandit Country ‘Agony in Motion’
Check out the full playlist below.
