Two Emerging UK Bands You Need on Your Playlists

Words: Josh Fundafunda

As you can never have too many bands on your radar, here are a couple of UK-based bands worth keeping your eyes and ears on right now.

From explosive indie rock to jazz-infused lounge music, both October Drift and SCORS are helping shape the next generation of emerging UK alternative music.

October Drift: One of the UK’s Most Exciting Emerging Rock Bands

First up is October Drift, a band bringing a fresh intensity to modern indie rock. Their breakout album Forever Whatever, released in 2020, quickly made an impression across the UK alternative scene.

Its popularity, boosted by relentless touring and festival appearances, helped establish the group as one of the most promising emerging UK bands to watch.

It would be foolish to ignore the addictive “Losing My Touch” - an instant indie anthem packed with urgency and emotional release. Opening an album with that kind of energy is a bold statement, and the track alone cemented the band firmly in my mind.

Overall, Forever Whatever feels like a hugely confident debut. At times it leans into familiar indie-rock structures, but there is enough emotional weight and raw energy throughout to leave you genuinely excited for what comes next.

That balance between expansive instrumentation and emotionally grounded songwriting mirrors the kind of textured indie-folk storytelling explored throughout This Is The Kit’s latest album.

Why I Don’t Belong Anywhere Elevated October Drift

Their next and most recent album, I Don’t Belong Anywhere, arrived two years later and cranked the intensity up even further.

Having evolved beyond the foundations of their debut, October Drift sharpened both their songwriting and emotional delivery, creating a far more immersive and engaging record.

Tracks like “Waltzer” and “Insects” burst with frustration and anxiety, exploring themes of uncertainty, loss of control and emotional exhaustion. The vivid lyricism paired with raw instrumentation makes these some of the band’s most gripping moments to date.

"Beginning with a hypnotic organ melody, the song slowly builds around the story of a love that has faded through time and distance..."

The emotional heaviness throughout the album clearly reflects the impact Covid had on the group. Just as momentum was beginning to build, everything threatened to collapse around them. With that context in mind, the album’s constant tension and explosive energy make complete sense.

That same emotionally driven alternative sound can also be found in artists such as Delilah Montagu, whose music similarly blends vulnerability with cinematic indie production.

The group balances this emotional intensity with strong song composition that holds the project together beautifully. Take “Ever After”, one of the album’s standout moments. Beginning with a hypnotic organ melody, the song slowly builds around the story of a love that has faded through time and distance.

When the song finally reaches its emotional peak, it feels less like a climax and more like bittersweet acceptance.

Why October Drift Are Built for Live Music

The band are not afraid to slow things down either. The album’s closing track “Old and Distant Memory” trades the heavy guitars and crashing percussion for melancholy piano and sweeping strings.

Intimate vocals from Kiran Roy gently guide the listener through feelings of regret, missed opportunities and emotional distance as the record drifts away almost like a lullaby.

What remains consistent throughout the album is a lingering emotional coldness - a feeling of uncertainty and isolation that quietly hangs over nearly every track.

"That emotional urgency translates exceptionally well on stage, making them one of the more compelling live acts currently emerging within the UK indie rock scene..."

October Drift are arguably at their best when they rely on the strength of their song structures and live energy. That emotional urgency translates exceptionally well on stage, making them one of the more compelling live acts currently emerging within the UK indie rock scene.

Their explosive instrumentation and evolving sound reflect the wider shift currently happening across modern alternative music, much like the artists explored in our feature on the re-emergence of jazz in modern music.

Although the band’s future currently appears uncertain, their emotionally charged blend of indie rock still stands as one of the more compelling releases to emerge from the UK alternative scene in recent years.

SCORS and the Rise of Jazz-Influenced Indie Music

On the other end of the spectrum is SCORS, a four-piece London band blending indie rock, lounge music and jazz into something uniquely atmospheric.

Their sound reflects the growing crossover between indie rock and the modern jazz resurgence currently influencing alternative music.

That same hazy minimalism and emotionally understated production can also be heard in artists such as Tirzah, whose fragmented electronic sound continues to shape the more intimate side of modern alternative music culture.

Now taking their music to the next level, the group are quietly carving out a niche within the UK underground scene through warm instrumentation, smoky production and emotionally understated songwriting.

Punting and SCORS’ Lounge-Infused Indie Sound

Currently, the group only have one full EP to their name titled Punting, but it provides a strong introduction to the sound they are building.

The project wears its influences openly. The baritone vocals of singer Jake Passmore immediately evoke comparisons to King Krule, while the rest of the band lean heavily into jazz-inflected indie arrangements and hazy lounge aesthetics.

Each track carries an effortless warmth that slowly wraps itself around you.

Fans of emotionally rich alternative artists such as OSKA will likely find plenty to enjoy within SCORS’ understated songwriting and atmospheric production.

“Karaoke at the Black Sheep Lounge” and SCORS’ Evolution

“Under the Sea” begins slowly, almost as if performed at the bottom of the ocean, before gradually building into something far more expansive.

The track’s dreamy atmosphere and driving instrumentation transform a relatively simple love song into something immersive and emotionally weightless.

The following track “You and I Get Along” plays with tempo brilliantly. What begins as a smooth lounge-inspired arrangement slowly descends into a chaotic collision of jazz and indie rock, allowing the group to fully flex their musical chemistry.

"Thankfully, the band’s recent return to live performances suggests new material may finally be on the horizon.."

That willingness to blur genre boundaries feels reminiscent of artists like Mk.Gee, whose textured production and experimental indie sound continue to influence modern alternative music.

Their latest release, “Karaoke at the Black Sheep Lounge”, leans even further into lounge and jazz aesthetics.

The song feels perfectly suited to a dimly lit late-night bar, driven by hypnotic basslines and loose, drifting rhythms that give the track an almost dreamlike quality.

The warm analogue atmosphere and intimate songwriting also echo aspects of artists such as Alice Phoebe Lou, whose independent approach to alternative music has resonated strongly within modern indie circles.

Why SCORS Could Become One of the UK’s Most Interesting Indie Bands

Like October Drift, SCORS feel like a band best experienced live. Their catalogue may still be relatively small, but the foundations are incredibly promising.

Besides a few radio mixes posted online, the group have remained fairly quiet since their last official release. Even so, songs like “How’s Our Favourite Girl” continue to hint at the depth and musicality sitting beneath the surface.

Intermittent SoundCloud uploads aside, it has now been almost two years since their last official release. Thankfully, the band’s recent return to live performances suggests new material may finally be on the horizon.

Hopefully listeners are not left waiting too much longer, because both October Drift and SCORS already feel capable of becoming genuine fixtures within the future of UK alternative music.

Readers searching for more overlooked artists and emerging independent musicians should also explore Waiting for Smith, another artist helping redefine the modern UK indie landscape.