Marsicans

Leeds-based quartet Marsicans craft a jerky strain of indie rock that fuses melodic hooks with muffled percussion, shrieking textures, abrasive rhythm-guitar lines, and fervent singing, a combination showcased on the group’s first full-length release, the 2020 album Ursa Major.

The four members—vocalist and guitarist James Newbigging, lead guitarist Oliver Jameson, bassist and keyboardist Rob Brander, and drummer Matthew “Cale” McHale—came together in 2014, having already been acquainted since their high-school days. Their initial outing, the Chivalry EP, arrived that same year and immediately established the band’s signature blend of twitchy indie-rock energy and bright melodies. A succession of singles followed over the ensuing years, supplemented by the 2016 EP Absence. By 2018 the sound had grown denser and more abrasive, centering on a bass-forward mix of chunky riffs, dampened drums, and dissonant lead-guitar work that echoed post-punk revival acts such as Foals while also nodding to post-hardcore and grunge, all without sacrificing the melodic appeal that had first drawn listeners. Momentum built through multiple festival slots and a public endorsement from Coldplay. In the first months of 2020 the quartet joined Killing Moon Records and issued several tracks that would form the core of their debut album. Ursa Major was tracked at Rockfield Studios in Wales under the guidance of Embrace’s Mickey Dale and appeared later that year.