White Eskimo

Formed while still in high school, the British quartet White Eskimo has sustained an energetic blend of punk-tinged pop and rock ever since. Although the group has traced its overall approach to influences spanning heavy metal and hip-hop, its buoyant pogo-driven drive stems chiefly from the melodic phrasing and chord progressions of blink-182 and Green Day. Harry Styles served as the original frontman in the band’s first lineup, which also included founding drummer Will Sweeny. After Styles auditioned for The X Factor in 2012 and departed to join One Direction, Sweeny assumed lead vocals; Alex Lewis was then brought in on drums, Roy Bennett joined on guitar, and Brad Nevinson took over bass. Once the members began college, their visibility grew through steady live work in and around Manchester, where they also opened for Ash. Their debut EP, 100x, arrived in March 2015; the four-track release highlighted Sweeny’s gruff vocals, popping guitar lines, and infectious rhythms. A year later the band prepared its next significant release, the single “Game Time.”