A group of young souls huddled together, their silhouettes flickering like fireflies caught in the lamplight.
Drink in hand and descending stone steps, I could hear the muffled sound of electric guitars filtering through the walls. I jumped down from the double-decker bus and my two chunky black boots landed firmly, crushing the pavement beneath me. In London, the cars move the opposite way, so naturally my neck made five iterations of right and left, attempting to reprogram the rhythm of the streets.
Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes — the name of the venue intrigued me, and as I stepped closer, my curiosity swelled, matching the fog of cigarette smoke that drifted in slow, deliberate curls. A group of young souls huddled together, their silhouettes flickering like fireflies caught in the lamplight.
The gravel crunched underfoot, and neon lights bled red, casting an otherworldly glow over the crowd. The floor swayed with bodies, all united on one fixation: we were there for The Youth Play, the band setting the city’s post-punk scene “On Fire.”
As a fan of alternative, post-punk and shoegaze music, I was eager to immerse myself in the live sound of London. Locating the underground scene was simple: the city’s heartbeat thrummed through its underground, a place where the echoes of distorted guitars and ethereal reverb still pulse in hidden corners. After all, the United Kingdom is widely considered the birthplace of shoegaze music, and its influence still ripples through the streets.
The shoegaze subgenre, named in homage to the overt tendency of guitarists to lock eyes with their pedals instead of the audience, has been simmering underground since the late 1980s. Since 2023, the shoegaze and post-punk scene in London has hit a revival. Labels have exploded with modern approaches to the musical style, creating an almost oversaturated scene of eager new bands vying for attention.
Formed by Diego Bracho (vocals/guitar), Harrison Ballard (guitar), Alex Hanrahan (bass) and Finley Bruce (drums), The Youth Play met in London. Their shared passion for alternative music swiftly brought them together to form a satisfying blend of post-punk and shoegaze sound.
In a multitude of their projects, synthesizers have replaced guitars as the driving sound. Lyrics delve deep, exploring themes of alienation and futurism like in The Youth Play’s 2023 EP “Wildflowers.”
The Youth Play blends this classic post-punk energy with modern experimental elements, evident in the enigmatic music video spearheaded by creative director Pedro Soler. The lyrics capture a sense of urgency and introspection, weaving in a rotating array of decades-old influences like Interpol, My Bloody Valentine and the Cocteau Twins.
Despite being relatively new to the scene, The Youth Play’s members share a deep understanding of each other’s creative processes.
“We understand each other quite well. We understand what the other person is trying to convey,” said lead singer Diego. This bond allows them to seamlessly blend their individual styles into a cohesive sound.
Diego highlighted the flexibility of their process from the beginning: “We just started writing songs. We did not have any idea of how it was meant to sound or how it was supposed to be. It just felt right.”
Breaking into London’s post-punk and alternative scene is no easy feat. The Youth Play acknowledges this challenge, but their drive to stand out keeps them focused.
“It takes a while to break into those spaces,” said Diego. “It can feel very alienating when you’re a new band showcasing something very new.”
Harrison, the lead guitarist, added, “It’s competitive and saturated, which makes it hard. But that’s why everyone comes to London — because that’s where everything is.”
Like a secret passed through red-lit rooms and foggy alleyways, The Youth Play is part of something that is quietly unfolding. Their sound shimmers with the promise of something just about to begin. Their future seems full of promise as they continue to carve their own path in the post-punk revival. With a sound that’s both nostalgic and forward-thinking, The Youth Play is poised to make waves in the London scene and beyond.
