Moreish Idols - Float (EP)

Moreish Idols’ Float arrived in August 2022 on Speedy Wunderground, and it sounds exactly like a band sprinting into the room and daring the tape to keep up. Produced by Dan Carey at his South London HQ, the five-piece lean into serrated rhythms, knotted guitars, and blasts of brass that feel both wiry and oddly generous. It is the rare debut EP that plays like a full statement, quick to surprise but easy to live with, the kind of record that makes you watch a venue listing and plan your week around a gig.

The singles tell the story. Speedboat skitters forward on a tightly coiled groove, bass and drums locking while guitars jab at the margins. The vocal rides that pocket with a conversational bite, like a friend telling you a wild story from the back of a bus. Then the horns slide in, not as window dressing but as a second engine, adding a nagging melody that sticks after one spin. Hangar takes the same instinct for left turns and doubles down on it, shifting gears in a way that feels playful rather than fidgety. You can hear why Speedy Wunderground wanted this on the books, there is a live electricity here that matches the label’s run of shape-shifting UK guitar records.

Carey’s fingerprints are clear, but he gives the band space. The drums are dry and insistent, the bass has a chewy presence that keeps everything grounded, and the guitars cut through with a wiry, tactile edge. When the brass hits, it sits in the mix like another rhythm instrument, pushing against the beat rather than floating prettily on top. The result is a set that moves with real momentum, never cluttered, never polite. If you have been following the label through Squid, Black Midi, or Kae Tempest sessions, this fits that lineage of bold, restless production while keeping a pop sense of timing. Choruses land, riffs loop back, and you get those little studio details that make repeat plays rewarding.

What sets Float apart is its balance of anxiety and ease. The playing can be twitchy, full of sharp corners and sudden drops, yet the band keep finding pockets of melody. They like contrast, an insistent bassline under a breezy horn motif, a shouted vocal that breaks into something almost tender. It feels very South London in spirit, post-punk in attack with a taste for jazz colours and danceable grooves. You could trace lines to contemporaries, but Moreish Idols feel less like scene followers and more like a group enjoying the clash of influences in their own rehearsal room.

On vinyl, the EP really breathes. The stereo image has room for the horn stabs and guitar scratch to sit without crowding the vocal, and the low end thumps with that warm Speedy Wunderground heft. Crank it and you get the sense of a tight band facing each other, counting in, and trusting the take. If you collect Moreish Idols vinyl, this is essential, and if you are hunting for Float vinyl specifically, grab it while copies are still floating around, pun intended. It is the sort of 12 inch you spot in a Melbourne record store and know it will light up your next house gathering. The jacket looks great filed next to other Speedy spines too, a small bonus for those who like their shelves to tell a story.

Reception was quick and enthusiastic across the UK indie press, and it makes sense. Float is compact, four tracks that feel like a map for where this band can go next. You get hooks, you get risk, and you get a performance that feels documented rather than fussed over. That last part matters. In a year thick with new guitar music, this record still had that reach-out-and-grab-you quality. Play Speedboat for a friend who says they are tired of post-punk, watch the grin.

If you are looking to buy Moreish Idols records online, Float is the gateway, a proof-of-concept with real replay value. Moreish Idols albums on vinyl will hopefully be a longer story in time, but this debut EP already earns its spot on the turntable. And for those browsing vinyl records Australia listings after payday, put this near the top of the cart. It is a fast hit of everything that makes contemporary UK guitar music fun right now, with just enough curveballs to keep you leaning in.