Cruush

“New Bangers” NME 

“On Repeat” The Line of Best Fit 

"one eye focused on their pedalboards, and another kept rapt to the heavens" So Young Magazine

“sure to have fans foaming at the mouth for a full-length project” Consequence

“a four-piece who seem to click into place with remarkable ease” CLASH

“instantly intoxicating” GIGWISE
 

Manchester shoegaze risers cruush sign to Heist or Hit and release new single ‘Sombre By The Weekend’ today.

“I guess you can say our music has the sweet elements of having a crush on someone but the screeching of an industrial car crusher” goes the droll mantra from cruush vocalist & front-person Amber Warren.

Teaming up with tastemaker label, and fellow Mancunians, Heist or Hit - responsible for launching the careers of Her’s, pizzagirl, Eades and more - offers cruush the chance to spread their message far and wide.

New single ‘Sombre By The Weekend’ channels their established nuanced approach. Acidic guitar washes and industrial drums provide the basis on which Amber’s subtly imperious vocals push and pull various threads of anguish.  

She explains the lyrical themes: 

“They touch upon trying your best to impress a group of friends only to be knocked down or made fun of. It’s about being surrounded by much bigger personalities and feeling timid and socially drained after social situations/parties. Feeling like you have to say yes to everything to impress, and toxic friendships which, when you’re out the other side of, you realise that they weren’t the right people for you.”

The pervasive gloaming of Manchester’s suburbs is present in cruush’s sonic DNA. Grey, gloomy textures provide a grunge-pop base layer to the ethereal weather-like storms they are capable of conjuring. And like any good storm it prompts a beauty-tinged reverence.

The stemming guitar watercolour is met by mournful utterances on toxicity, physiological decline, narcissistic behaviours and pessimistic tendencies. While more traditional approaches to shoegaze suffocate the vocal and message, Amber’s melodic splendour is antidote-like, stealing attention from the tidal waves of noise with queasy timbres of disillusion, doubt and confusion.  

“Meeting each other in Manchester and sharing our time here has shaped our sound more than anything else” admits guitarist Arthur Boyd. So, no matter if cruush lean into 80s indie, alternative 90s or the Seattle sound, they’re able to plug their rock into the aquatic textures of the city in which they reside. Think the delicacy of Wolf Alice whipped in the cyclonic guitars of My Bloody Valentine. ‘Sombre By The Weekend’ in particular is “sonically inspired by 2 bands I had just discovered - ovlov and  horse jumper of love” Arthur adds.  

Broadcasters and journalists alike have been enchanted, with Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1), Chris Hawkins (BBC Radio 6), John Kennedy (Radio X), Simone Butler (Soho Radio), Consequence of Sound, Bandcamp Daily, NME, The Line of Best Fit, So Young, CLASH and GIGWISE all lining up to call themselves fans. 

On the live side, cruush have bagged supports with BDRMM, NewDad, The Lounge Society, Far Caspian and Ian Sweet, while selling out hometown headline dates at Gullivers & YES.  

‘Sombre By The Weekend’ - the new single from cruush - is out now via Heist or Hit