Sunderland art-pop five-piece Swindled return this September with their third EP What A Nightmare!, released on Friday 12th September. The record completes their dream-and-sleep-inspired series with four bold new tracks, including the ferocious lead single ‘The Hangover’, which lands the same day across all digital platforms.

Recorded at Blast Studios, the EP shows a clear step forward for the band both creatively and sonically. “The songs just felt right. They felt like Swindled,” explains frontman Jonny Swindle. “My writing got more intricate but still came naturally. If you don’t believe your latest work is your best, then what’s the point?”

THE HANGOVER

‘The Hangover’ is the band’s most infectious single to date: an overdriven, high-energy anthem that blends art-pop playfulness with a sharp lyrical bite. Its chaotic drive feels tailor-made for live sets, and follows on from June’s shimmering ‘Withdrawal Symptoms’, which already proved a crowd favourite at summer festivals.

THE FULL EP

Alongside The Hangover and Withdrawal Symptoms, the EP features the expansive Cosmic Immigrants and the reflective Dear Past Life. Together, the tracks form a conceptually rich, tightly produced collection that balances energy with emotional depth.

A BIG SUMMER, A BIGGER AUTUMN

What A Nightmare! caps off an impressive summer for Swindled, with festival appearances at Kendal Calling and Lindisfarne Festival where they shared the bill with The Prodigy, Travis, and Fatboy Slim. The band now look ahead to a busy autumn: performing at The Gathering Sounds Festival in Stockton on September 27th, before a sold-out hometown headline show at Pop Recs Ltd, Sunderland on October 25th, with support from Leazes and Bogus.

VERDICT

Ambitious, polished, and packed with ideas, What A Nightmare! is Swindled’s strongest release yet. With tracks as immediate as The Hangover and as thought-provoking as Dear Past Life, the EP underlines the band’s growing reputation as one of the North East’s most inventive acts.

Rating: 5/5 – An adventurous, tightly executed EP from a band hitting their stride.