The distinctive, hypnotising, delicate sound of Ellie Roswell’s voice amongst the haunting guitar and rhythmic drums has created quite a stir for this four-piece, indie rock band from North London. Imagine a modern take on The Cranberries infused with the melodic nuance of the XX and the rhythm of Swim Deep – there you have Wolf Alice.

Initially, Wolf Alice was a solo project by Roswell who took the name for the group from a book by Angela Carter. Soon, she was accompanied by guitarist, Joff Oddie who produced folk music together, until rhythm section Joe Armey and Theo Ellis joined to create more of a rock-orientated style. Clash have appropriately described their alternative sound as “the lovechild of folk and grunge” and The Guardian have interpreted the band as “having innocence, but [not] afraid to show their teeth”. Wolf Alice themselves see their music as “rocky pop”. Their style is atmospheric and powerful. Their music is an explosion of emotion, evoking deep over-thinking about life, it’s the kind of music you listen to alone after a stressful day.

Their newest EP ‘Blush’ was released 7th October this year with Chess Club Records has been described as “angsty rock pop” by NME. The eerie title track (“ideal for park-bench-dwelling teens” – NME’s Eve Barlow) contrasts with the rebellious ‘She’ (the new video for which can be seen below), followed by the invigorating ‘NoseDive’. ‘90 Mile Beach’, the last track, particularly stands out, as husky, mysterious, lone-walk-in-the-dark type music which leaves a lasting impression of the EP. The band’s 2013 single ‘Fluffy’ is very temperamental, with a guitar-smashing chorus; this is proper disaffected youth music. However, their May 2013 single ‘Bros’, arguably the foursome’s most popular, catchy tune remains Wolf Alice at their finest, with relatable lyrics and uplifting melody.

On the road they have had support tours with Swim Deep and Peace in the past, along with several festival appearances. They started their maiden headline tour in October this year. Wolf Alice are set to make yet more significant leaps forward this month with shows on the continent in Italy and Germany.

We eagerly await any new music from this lot including a hotly anticipated full-length LP coming in 2014. This band has a great deal of potential and all of us at Gigslutz are excited to see where the future will take them.