EP REVIEW: Sourflake – Spite

‘…The riffs are fast-paced and brilliantly aggressive, clashing with sparks against the swaggering, groovy foundations…’

Liverpool four-piece Sourflake have been dropping self-described “punk to shake your ass to” since 2023. A prolific live force, the band have become a staple of punk line-ups in the north west, and will be headlining Goth Frog’s May-Hem fest later this year, fundraising for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. Ahead of this, the band have dropped their debut EP, ‘Spite’.

The aforementioned self-description that the band provide sums up this record far better than any other statement could; this truly is punk to shake your ass to. Thick, fuzzy bass lines carve out wickedly infectious grooves atop of percussion that cares little whether you’re here to dance or mosh, but simply instead commands you to get moving. The riffs are fast-paced and brilliantly aggressive, clashing with sparks against the swaggering, groovy foundations, whilst Simone Armstrong makes for a compelling presence cruising atop of it all, her lyricism and delivery punctuated by a searingly venomous wit.

Lead single ‘Greedy’ opens with an absolutely monolithic riff that distills the apocalypse is crushing fuzz. Hi-hats rattle with electrifying momentum, whilst Armstrong’s vocals flow between spoken word and infectious melodies in a disparaging look at class divisions in the UK. ‘Like A King‘ is packed with a bruising funk, as colossal bass lines snake about above dance-punk rhythms, and Armstrong delivers a vicious tirade against the parasitic entity that calls itself the royal family. Closing number ‘Private School‘ takes on something of a post-punk flair, with Armstrong using playful spoken word over moments of musical minimalism to sculpt a satirical take down of the UK’s two-class education system.

Old heads of the punk scene are often quick to declare that punk is dead, but one quick listen to what Sourflake have to offer with assuage those despairing doubts. There is a generation of punk musicians just as angry with state of the system as any of those 80’s legends, helmed by the girls, gays, theys, and people of colour, and the resulting sound may even be more riotous than what came before. ‘Spite‘ is essential listening for punk fans, and one can only assume that sentiment to be magnified tenfold in a live context. The kids are alright.

RATING: 76/100

For Fans Of: Gel, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Turnstile, Drain, Scowl

Physical copies are available to purchase here.

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