EP REVIEW: The Orchestra (For Now) – Plan 76

‘…listening experiences that make you wish to dig deeper and deeper into their world, and envelop yourself in their dizzying London Prog…’

Over recent years, few musical scenes have exploded into the consciousness of indie and rock music listeners quite like that of London’s Windmill scene. Tying together ideas from progressive-rock, post-rock, post-punk, and experimental-rock, the purveyors of the sound offer listening experiences that are often completely unrestrained by the concept of being accessible whilst simultaneously avoiding being complex to the point of inaccessibility. Whether through the chamber-pop and folksy whimsy of Black Country, New Road, or the math and noise rock stylings of black midi, the scene has redefined what can be popular within rock spaces in the streaming era.

Continuing this expansion into uncharted musical territory are The Orchestra (For Now). Coming together in London back in 2023, the band went on to win the 2024 Green Man Rising competition at the Green Man Festival, and by the time they released their debut single in November 2024, the band had established quite the cult following. Famed for exhilarating drama in both their recordings and live performances, the band’s 2025 debut EP ‘Plan 75’ was an instant critical success, with the band’s self-described ‘London Prog’ sound taking listeners into the seedy underbelly of the capital, where finance bros strip themselves of humanity and online models are hunted by violent men. It made for a visceral and dizzying introduction to the band’s world, and commanded respect for its sheer ambition.

Surprisingly, only around six months later, the band have released a follow-up EP, and perhaps even more surprisingly, ‘Plan 76’ is even better than the band’s already fantastic debut. The cinematic, grandiose soundscapes that their debut presented with now feel even more dramatic, crammed with eclectic ideas that bubble and writhe with a vicious, acerbic energy. ‘Hattrick‘ is bold and unrelenting number for the entirety of its near six minute run time, the listener subjected to a barrage of murder, infidelity, modern society and masculinity through lyricism that alternates between confessional and absurdist. There’s a real desperation to the vocal performance of Joe Scarisbrick, building from brooding ruminations towards stabbing barks as the instrumental ducks and weaves beneath him; Erin Snape gouges out moments of immense gloom with the strident bowing of a cello, whilst Neil Thomson and Bill Bickerstaff add sharp grit to the orchestral elements with guitar playing that leaps forth with ferocity.

‘Impatient‘ alternates between moments of conspiratorial quiet and earth-shattering theatrics, with Scarisbrick building from smoky, hushed melodies towards desperation infused shouts. ‘Amsterdam’ sees each of the many instruments of this outfit carving out different highlights in this moody display of musicality; electric guitars chug with a metal ferocity, whilst pianos glitter and acoustic guitars dance with a free-spirited yet intimate tone. You may be many, many listens deep, and ‘Plan 76’ will still impress with new highlights.

‘Deplore You / Farmer’s Market’ makes for a surprisingly incredible closer to the record, switching up the band’s signature chaotic sound for a stripped back approach that places Scarisbrick’s haunting vocals over a melancholic, minimalist ensemble of twinkling keys and strings. Grappling with the fickle nature of adoration, the track gently waltzes by, before vaulting into a cataclysmic climax that erupts with an anxiety attack of percussion and screamed vocals. It’s a truly beautiful and gripping performance that shows the multifaceted nature of this unpredictable outfit in all of its blazing glory; after this track’s completion, you cannot help but yearn for a full-length record from this band.

As established, many of the progressive ideas that The Orchestra (For Now) flirt with are very much in vogue, within indie spaces, right now. Yet what sets the seven-piece apart from their contemporaries is their capacity to finely balance their ambition with substance. Too often do outfits of this ilk produce grandiose ideas but nothing that holds those ideas together. The Orchestra (For Now) sculpts listening experiences that make you wish to dig deeper and deeper into their world, and envelop yourself in their dizzying London Prog.

Make no mistake, ‘Plan 76’ is a must-listen release for 2025. The Orchestra (For Now) are a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

RATING: 83/100 – Very Good

For Fans Of: Black Country, New Road, The Dear Hunter, Broadsheet Speak, The Family Crest, Slint, black midi

Physical copies are available to purchase here.

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Bandcamp // Twitter