Julian Laws
A Popular Music (Falmouth University) graduate currently based just outside of Bristol. A voracious reader, meticulous Letterboxd reviewer and lover of all things music. Consistently championing often ignored upcoming artists from Cornwall and the South West music scene to show what amazing talent can be found outside of the big cities!
Belfast trio Chalk startle listeners with their latest single ‘Afraid,’ ahead of their third EP, ‘Conditions III’, out on 21st February
‘Afraid’ promises listeners and fans of Chalk more of what they love. A fusion of post-punk and techno amalgamates into a cohesive, devastatingly intense, industrial soundscape. ‘Afraid’ explores the struggle and chaos of being scared; the rage, the chopped logic, and the drive to escape it all.
The bone-cracking synth in the intro and pitch ascending vocal sample segues seamlessly and effectively into a rageful droning guitar riff. This paired with the breakbeat drum part succeeds in plunging the listener into an uneasy state of fear. We are with the band, wading in this distorted sonic quagmire, searching for a path to get out. We are teased with the occasional brief silence, which taunts the listener with a bit of respite, but almost immediately, we are pushed back under.
‘Afraid’ cements this Belfast trio as sonically unique and ever-evolving. Graduates of film at Queens University in Belfast, this single, and all their songs for that matter, paint a visual landscape in the listener’s mind.
2025 is set to be a monumental year for Chalk. After coming of the back of a support run with IDLES in 2024, they are now going at it on their own, with 25 upcoming shows in 8 different countries. For fans of noisy guitars, driving synths and bands such as Metz and Gilla Band, Chalk’s new single is definitely for you.
New EP ‘Conditions III’ is out on 21st February via Nice Swan.
Watch/Listen to ‘Afraid’ here:
Catch Chalk at the following:
27th Feb – King Tuts, Glasgow
28th Feb – Band on the Wall, Manchester
1st Mar – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
4th Mar – Bodega, Nottingham
6th Mar – Village Underground, Village
7th Mar – Strange Brew, Bristol
8th Mar – Concorde 2, Brighton
9th Mar – Heebie Jeebies, Liverpool
12th Mar – Paradiso, Amsterdam
13th Mar – Trix Bar, Brussels
14th Mar – La Lune des Pirates, Amiens
15th Mar – Maroquinerie, Paris
17th Mar – L’Astrolab, Orleans
18th Mar – Marché Gare, Lyon
20th Mar – Artteater, Cologne
21st Mar – Kantine am Berghain, Berlin
22nd Mar – Turmzimmer, Hamburg
26th Mar – Locomotiv, Bologna
27th Mar – Arci Bellezza, Milan
29th Mar – M4music Festival, Zurich
9th Apr – Ulster Sports, Belfast
10th Apr – Ulster Sports, Belfast
11th Apr – Ulster Sports, Belfast
12th Apr – Whelans, Dublin