CLUNK Recommends | UNIVERSITY- GTA Online

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UNIVERSITY channel digital chaos in new single ‘GTA Online’ ahead of new album ‘McCartney, It’ll Be OK’

Crewe-based UNIVERSITY have shared a video to accompany their third single of 2025, ‘GTA Online’, taken from their upcoming debut album ‘McCartney, It’ll Be OK’, releasing 20th June via Transgressive (Alvvays, Foals, Hippo Campus).

The quartet, comprised of Zak Bowker (vocals/guitar), Ewan Barton (bass), Joel Smith (drums) and Eddie Leigh (mascot), blend elements of emo, punk rock and hardcore to create their own niche within the alternative scene.

Whilst heavy in parts, ‘GTA Online’ is a slow burner. The nearly four-minute-long track builds steadily with the first two and a half of minutes comprised of mellow, tingling guitars paired with Zak’s raw vocals, demonstrating the band’s ability to exhibit a softer emotive side and that they aren’t afraid to experiment outside of the traditional notions of genre, or their own sound for that matter.

The song becomes more chaotic with the addition of thunderous crashing cymbals, huge Biffy Clyro-esque riffs and bursts of distorted screaming hardcore. This bleeds into the finale which is an eruption of frantic guitars and drums, a contrast to how the track begins.

The accompanying video has a playful DIY aesthetic, illustrating the band’s absurdity and humour that can be seen in their creative lyricism and live performances. It  becomes increasingly glitched and fragmented to reflect the raucous sound that unfolds.

With this release they prove why they are one of the most exciting alternative UK bands to emerge from the pandemic; leaving the listener wondering what musical journey they will be taken on in the rest of the album. They are set to play a number of dates this year following the album’s release.

Watch the video for ‘GTA Online‘ here:

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Catch UNIVERSITY at the following:

14^th June Outbreak Festival, Manchester United Kingdom
23^rd June INSTORE – Rough Trade Liverpool
25^th June INSTORE – Rough Trade East, London
26^th June INSTORE – Rough Trade Bristol
5^th September Paradiso (Upstairs), Amsterdam Netherlands
6^th September Misty Fields Festival, Asten-Heusden (NL) Netherlands
8^th September La Mécanique Ondulatoire, Paris France
9^th September Aéronef, Lille, France
11^th September Schokoladen, Berlin Germany
13^th September Botanique, Brussels Belgium
15^th September Louisiana, Bristol United Kingdom
16^th September Where Else?, Margate United Kingdom
17^th September George Tavern, London United Kingdom
19^th September The Castle, Manchester United Kingdom
21^st September Hug & Pint, Glasgow United Kingdom
22^nd September Brudenell Social Club (Community Room), Leeds United Kingdom
23^rd September Hare & Hounds 2, Birmingham United Kingdom
7^th November Mutations Festival at Patterns, Brighton United Kingdom

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