The Setlist & The Script

thistle. might still be without a debut album, but based on their trajectory so far, it’s only a matter of time. The Northampton trio are making serious noise with their raw, lo-fi take on alt-rock, the kind that spills emotion through blown-out amps and cracked vocal cords. Their upcoming EP it’s nice to see you, stranger (out July 4th via Venn Records) is shaping up to be a proper statement, and their newest single ‘wishing coin’ only sharpens the focus.

The single builds on the grunge atmosphere of the title track, but digs deeper, a swirling blend of slowcore sludge and emotional excavation. There’s a real tension between the minimal, almost shoegazey guitar lines and the sense that something is about to burst. Lyrically, frontman Cameron Godfrey’s reflections hit hard: it’s about cutting ties with things that dilute your purpose, and that message is felt not just in the words, but in every drawn-out note and breathless pause.

What makes thistle. stand out isn’t just the sound (though their blend of hardcore roots and lo-fi aesthetic is pretty unique), it’s how they manage to make everything feel both heavy and intimate. ‘wishing coin’ plays like a late-night realisation — regret-filled but resolute, like slamming the door on the past with a quiet, defiant finality.

Their full EP looks to dive further into that internal turmoil, with track titles like ‘fleur rouge’ and ‘holy hill’ hinting at the same dreamy/dirgey contradictions. If the rest of the record follows the path of ‘wishing coin’ and its predecessor, fans of acts like Narrow Head, Cloakroom or even early Deftones will find plenty to sink their teeth into.

Signed to Venn Records — home to some of the UK’s most vital underground acts — thistle. are already turning heads across press and radio. With appearances at The Great Escape already under their belt and upcoming slots at SXSW London and Left of the Dial, they’re building the kind of reputation that few new bands achieve this quickly.

wishing coin is out now.
it’s nice to see you, stranger drops July 4th, and based on the evidence so far, it could be one of the year’s most quietly crushing releases.

FFO: Narrow Head, DITZ, Cloakroom
Live Tip: Catch them at The Social (May 22) or SXSW London (June 4) before they’re everywhere.

‘it’s nice to see you, stranger’ (EP) Tracklist
01 – cobble/mud
02 – it’s nice to see you, stranger
03 – fleur rouge
04 – holy hill
05 – wishing coin

thistle. is Cameron Godrey (guitar/lead vocals), Carey Judwyn Rushton (bass / vocals), Lewis O’Grady (drums)

thistle. Online
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Live Dates
May 22nd – The Social, London
May 23rd – Low Four Studios, Manchester
May 24th – Dot To Dot Festival, Bristol
May 30th – Esquires, Bedford
June 4th – SXSW London
June 18th – Hidden Herd, Brighton
July 11th – The Black Prince, Northampton (w / Bdrmm)
October 24th-25th – Left Of The Dial Festival, Rotterdam