Brighton's Noisiest Export: The Rise of Oral Habit
In a city celebrated for its psychedelic music scene, Brighton trio Oral Habit are carving out a uniquely aggressive niche. Describing their sound as "the ear-rattling psychic dream of choked-up acid punks," the band offers a contemporary form of psychedelia that feels perfectly suited to the troubled climate of 2025.
A Sonic Philosophy of Intensity
Originally a home recording project by frontman Charlie Hales, the band has evolved into a formidable trio with the addition of his brother Felix on drums and his partner Tippi Lewis on bass. Their sonic approach is brutally simple, as Charlie explains: "if a button's there, it's there to be pushed."
This philosophy is vividly realised on their recent EP, Garage Frock!, which builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, Cardiovascular Spectacular. The EP delivers four short, sharp bursts of music that create a chaotic melange of guitar fuzz, echo-drenched vocals, and feedback-drenched solos.
Even the track The Coast, which begins as a ballad, eventually collapses into a crushing, sludgy grind. This is not the relaxed psychedelia of the Summer of Love, but a disoriented racket more aligned with the mid-60s freakbeat movement, rebooted for a new era.
This Week's Essential New Music Releases
Beyond the explosive sound of Oral Habit, this week offers a rich selection of new tracks from established and emerging artists.
Bill Callahan returns with The Man I'm Supposed to Be, a track where he turns his savage side against himself, ruefully declaring "I don't want to be the man that I am any more," before ending with a surprising "hee-hee!"
Robyn presents Dopamine, a neon-hued return that hides complex themes about attraction and desperation within a euphoric, Moroder-meets-Daft Punk soundscape.
Other notable releases include:
- Ms Banks with 4C, a formidable rap celebrating her Afro hair and broader independence.
- Mandy, Indiana and their whirring, thrashing cataclysm Magazine, a primal call for retribution.
- Poppy, who floats a dream-pop melody over jagged metalcore in Bruised Sky.
- Bleech 9:3 delivering a spirited, guitar-jostling rock anthem with Jacky.
- Tony Bontana breezing through the throbbing lo-fi beat of Battered Chips.
Looking Ahead: Oral Habit's Debut Album
With their intense sonic identity firmly established, Oral Habit are currently working on their debut album, slated for release next year. For those seeking a psychedelic experience that is as overpowering and explosive as the times we live in, this Brighton trio is undoubtedly a band to watch closely.
