Strange Pink - 'Pencil Chewer' | A ferocious first bite from Yorkshire’s rising misfits

Strange Pink grab you by the collar with their debut single 'Pencil Chewer', a raucous and razor-edged slice of indie-rock that feels like a jolt of electricity in a lukewarm playlist. With wiry guitars, snarling energy, and just enough menace behind the melody, this is a first release that demands to be noticed.

On the surface, 'Pencil Chewer' is a frenetic burst of melody-driven noise, packed with distorted hooks and the kind of restless energy that recalls early Sonic Youth at their most angular, or Built to Spill with the reverb dialled way up. But scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find something darker lurking in the lyrics: a character study that draws from Shakespeare’s Aaron in Titus Andronicus, filtered through a haze of modern frustration and wry nihilism. It’s a song about cruelty, power, and the quiet absurdity of destruction, wrapped in an infectious indie-rock anthem you’ll be humming without realising it.

Recorded at York’s Young Thugs studio and produced by Nick ‘The Muscle’ Russell, the track crackles with a kind of basement-show immediacy. There’s a fuzziness to the edges that feels intentional, like a band more concerned with capturing the moment than sanding down the sound for polish. That rawness works in its favour. Strange Pink are clearly not trying to play nice, and 'Pencil Chewer' is all the more thrilling for it.

Sam Forrest’s vocal delivery balances sneer with sincerity, while bassist Eddie Alan Logie provides the low-end drive that gives the track its forward lurch. But special mention has to go to drummer Dom Smith, whose propulsive playing anchors the chaos with a tightness that belies his behind-the-scenes challenges. That sense of pushing against odds and turning limitations into defiant artistry pulses throughout the song, making it feel not just catchy, but vital.

With an EP on the horizon and gigs lining up for the summer, Strange Pink are laying down a bold marker. 'Pencil Chewer' is a statement of intent. If this is the starting point, we can’t wait to hear what comes next.