Introducing UK group MarthaGunn, who share a new single Caught Up & Confused

Over the last 18 months in particular, there's been an explosion of UK indie talent that's captured the depth and wealth of the area's music world at a newfound peak. Regardless of whether it's already-established names releasing new records or new faces emerging at a near-weekly basis, there's been a heavier emphasis on UK's indie/rock/pop intersection even down here in Australia, where acts such as beabadoobee have blossomed into heavyweights without even an album under their belt, while other acts like The Amazons head down under after a long time away.

UK five-piece MathaGunn, meanwhile, sit somewhere in between. They're a collection of friends - Abi, Max, Humphrey, Ally and Frankie - whose shared influences in groups such as Fleetwood Mac and HAIM turned into a passion project for musical release, born in 2019 with their debut Love & Emotion EP and deepened with everything they've put out since. Whether it be Lizzo covers or stand-alone singles that have scattered the last twelve months, everything they've put out has remained consistently brilliant, showing how the group have evolved and grown in such a small amount of time.

It'd be hard to place the band anywhere but in the future of UK's indie-pop world, with their plans for 2020, for example, including another EP that's sure to push them further into the limelight, and expand their sound beyond the introductory tones of what they've welcomed so far. Take Heaven, which was initially released last year, for example. It's a cathartic, passionate release of emotions that capture the group at their most searing, as if someone like St Vincent took their most abrasive work and combined it with the warmth of a band like HAIM, who remain a constant influence in MarthaGunn's songwriting process. 

Another brilliant example comes in the form of the group's latest single Caught Up & Confused, which in addition to being the title track of the EP, seemingly captures the core of the full-length release - and the band releasing it - in a punchy three-minutes-thirty. It begins a little more docile and subtle, with a rhythmic pace gradually leading the way into an explosion of fierce lyricism and catchy melodies held down by their prowess for songwriting, which really feels like the beginning of a new HAIM, although in their own distinct and unique way.

It's also - as you could perhaps tell, by the cathartic-sounding lyrical release of lead vocalist Abi Woodman - a track that explores the complexities of emotions, channelling every feeling of frustration, regret, anger and happiness into the music's sound and the intensity that lays within it. "Falling in love is both a beautiful and crippling feeling. The addictive rush, that if not reciprocated, leaves you completely empty..." Woodman lingers off, before further explaining. "So there I was, caught up and confused. I wrote this at my most vulnerable. It’s the truth I needed to hear no matter how hard I tried not to listen."

The end result is something quite powerful, and something that really demands your attention, not letting you go until the single's duration comes to a close. You can take a dive into the song below - it's well worth a listen - and stay tuned for the release of the Caught Up & Confused EP on August 28th.

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