PUNCHBAG

"Unhinged pop that is both infectious and confrontational"
CLASH Magazine

"Multiple kinds of maximalism that grabs you via sheer bombast"
Stereogum

"A glorious mosh-mash that works better than it should on paper"
Wonderland Magazine

"This London sibling duo sound like they’ve mainlined all permutations of British synth and dance-pop from the past 30-odd years, and – surprisingly – it works"
PAPER Magazine

"They're what happens when punk energy collides with pop hooks and shared DNA."
Dork Magazine

"'Fuck It' melds rock and electronica with shades of the late-’90s”
Brooklyn Vegan
 

(26th March) South London sibling duo PUNCHBAG today announce their debut EP 'I'm Not Your Punchbag' - out 2nd May via Mute.

The announcement follows last month's buzzy debut single 'Fuck It', a boundary-pushing pop storm, described by Stereogum as "Icona Pop’s “I Love It” colliding with Basement Jaxx’s “Where’s Your Head At” — multiple kinds of maximalism aligning for a song that grabs you via sheer bombast”. The track was released alongside an eye-catching video directed by Joe Gainsborough, introducing the duo with a grand wash of entrancing synths and piercing beats. 

The EP's title track, new single 'I'm Not Your Punchbag' is a combative cut of razor-sharp pop that offers a message of defiance. “It comes from a ‘harmless’ small remark made to me at a dinner table once that really cut deep,” says Clara. “From this small seed, if you like, the song grew into a kind of anthem for fighting back - a refusal to let people dump their shit on you.”

It was after writing it that they realised that ‘PUNCHBAG’ made a good band name too. “This song helps explain the band name and our ethos,” Clara continues. “It’s something to scream along to; a perfect therapy. ‘Don’t take it out on me, bitch!'”
 

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Swinging between dizzying extremes, where unapologetically sugar-sweet pop hooks clash with radical leftfield production, PUNCHBAG (consisting of Clara and Anders Bach) are a compelling proposition.

Whispers of PUNCHBAG's knock-out live performances have been growing in volume since they played their first show in the spring of 2024. Colliding the raw unfiltered energy of punk with the overflowing ecstasy of pop, from the off they demonstrated an uncanny skill for commanding a crowd. “We take it seriously,” says Clara. “We’ve thought about it a lot, and it was important that from the first time we performed it was fully formed. We’re Virgos. We’re perfectionists.”

This steeliness is paired with a chaotic stage presence, defined by improvisatory dance moves and an infectious energy. “At the end of the set, I just scream until everyone’s jumping,” she says. “We want it to be cathartic, but also really joyful. Joy is one of the things that you can’t really argue with, it’s not an opinion – you can either get involved or not.”

“We’d rather someone had a strong adverse reaction to our music than it be just played in the background,” says Anders. He needn’t worry, of course – PUNCHBAG’s chaotic and utterly cathartic forthcoming debut EP is guaranteed to grab attention.

PUNCHBAG's debut EP 'I'm Not Your Punchbag' is out 2nd May on Mute. PUNCHBAG play Ritual Union Festival in Bristol on 29th March before playing The Great Escape in May. Follow PUNCHBAG on Instagram for news of more live shows in the coming months. New single 'I'm Not Your Punchbag' is out now.