Led by the modern-day lyrical wordsmith Gabriel Byrde, Peckham based 5-piece YOWL are an intriguing prospect. They released their EP ‘Atrophy’ in 2019 where, over 6 tracks, the band veer from upbeat bouncing basslines, striking falsetto vocals and country-tinged sadness to furious, frenzied spiky alt-punk. Nobody’s happy putting up with poor job prospects and a city pricing out the poorest, but YOWL capture a frustration of the 9-to-5 London grind like few others.
YOWL are Gabriel Byrde (vocals), Ivor Manley (guitar), Mike Wride (guitar), Billy Morris (bass) and Tom Flynn (drums). They formed in 2016 when they put forward their manifesto on the EP ‘Before the Sleep Sets In’, which demonstrated a potent ability to channel frustration with mid-city living into a churning marriage of sleazy indie and post-punk. They have entrenched their reputation as a band able to cast a menacing shadow on record and on stage and were named in DIY’s ‘Class Of 2019’, have been supported by NME, Loud & Quiet, BBC Radio 6Music and have played alongside IDLES and LICE as well as festivals including Picthfork Avant Garde and London Calling Amsterdam.
