Listen: Bruising - "Honey"

Depending on what you're expecting Soundcloud's related artists algorithm can either be wonderfully inspired or woefully off base. And yet whichever one the algorithm decides to be that day, there's no denying that there lies a potential to find something completely unexpected but exactly what you were looking for. And that is exactly how I stumbled upon Leeds duo turned quartet Bruising.

Bruising are a considerably young band, forming after guitarists Ben Lewis and Naomi Baguley bonded over a mutual love Perfect Pussy and subsequently expanding into a full band only last year but they've already managed to release what's bound to be one of my favorite songs of their career in the Beech Coma released double AA side "Emo Friends"/"Honey". While the bands have a couple other songs to their name, "Honey" is perhaps the most indicative of their potential. Gritty garage rock licks brush shoulders with Baguley's sweetly sung vocals in a sort of balancing act that pits the fiery guitars against the slow and steady vocal delivery. And yet there's a lot more at play than your standard messy rock jam - the guitar harmonizing with the vocals, the sudden pushes and pulls in tempo and mood. Bruising may be young but they're very clearly a sense of musicianship informing how only how they play together but arrange their songs. There's a surface catchiness to their songs but the additional layering of harmonies is the sort of thing that'll endure and hopefully carry on into their future endeavors.


While Bruising have essentially holed away to write more songs, here's hoping there's more where these came from. Until then, get ready to begin the ove affair with their double AA "Emo Friends"/"Honey" single released late last year.