Cagework

Brixton trio Cagework first caught attention through their abrasive, gritty yet low-fidelity indie rock on the 2019 single “Wilson.” What began as a solo effort by Sam Bedford, previously of American Enthusiasm and Selfish Son, after he completed university soon expanded when he recruited James Luxton and Russell Marshall to develop the songs. Drawing from the raw indie rock of Sebadoh and Pavement alongside the emotive punk of Hüsker Dü, the group attracted the interest of Justin Lockey of Mastersystem and Minor Victories, who signed them to his Physical Education Records imprint. Their self-titled debut Cagework arrived that same year, its seven tracks distilling indie rock, lo-fi textures, and early emo into a brisk sixteen-minute statement. On the follow-up, the band shifted from those emo foundations toward Americana while retaining compact arrangements, extending the duration of 2020’s Exercise in Conflict to twenty-eight minutes.