Punk Band SOURFLAKE Release Debut EP ‘Spite’ [UK]

Liverpool, UK based DIY punk quartet SOURFLAKE have released their highly anticipated debut EP ‘Spite’. Described as having “copious amounts of energy and zeal”, the band have clearly channeled these qualities into a non-stop, all-killer-no-filler EP.

Spite goes on an audible journey that examines themes such as betrayal, which can be heard on the EP’s opening track Spider-bite, and life under late-stage capitalism, as demonstrated on tracks such as Like a King and Televised Genocide.

In true Sourflake fashion, however, Spite isn’t all doom and gloom. It’s said that the band’s eyeliner is “as sharp as their wit” and the EP’s final track, Private School, is a perfect example of this; addressing the private education to politician pipeline whilst managing to do so with humour and an excessive tongue-in-cheek flair.

“Spite is what created the band and we keep going in spite of our own doubts and fears so it only made sense that it’s what we’d call our debut EP,” states singer, Simone Armstrong.

Simone and guitarist CJ were also kind enough to divulge more about their POC roots and how lived experiences impact and influence the band and music.

“Being the daughter of an immigrant whose ancestors were Indian indentured servants, my anti-colonial stance is rooted deeply in my heritage and upbringing. I think a lot of people can empathise with this but few can truly relate to my experience. The song “Like a King” from this EP pokes fun at the opulence of the monarchy in a light-hearted way, but I hope that listeners will be encouraged to think more deeply about how the Royal family’s vast and excessive wealth has come about. In my eyes, we absolutely cannot separate the UK government from its imperialist history.

Aside from this EP, the diversity within Sourflake is what makes this band. Queer and POC voices are still underrepresented in the media, but Sourflake draws from the lived experiences of its members which, in turn, influences our creative direction in terms of the music, fashion and visual style. Even our motto, ‘Punk to shake your ass to’, is rooted within my Caribbean influence. Intersectionality can often be left out of feminist conversations, but I believe the nuances of what makes us individual human beings make for a richer creative output for our audience to sink their teeth into.” – Simone

“I’ve been rejected from several bands before I joined Sourflake, being told that I don’t fit the “look” or simply that they chose someone more “appropriate”, which would always be a white person.”

“I moved to this country by myself when I was 17 and nearly a decade later I still feel like an outsider. Whilst those within the punk scene are well-meaning in their political alignment, they frequently lack insight into the struggles and exclusion experienced by immigrants in the UK, and consequently underestimate the strength, achievements, and potential of those who have leaped to start a new life on the other side of the world.

Musicians like brutal death-metal vocalist Malika Sundaramurthy and metal guitarist Diamond Rowe have taught me that I, too, can be taken seriously, and that no matter how progressive the scene is, being anything other than a stereotype is still an act of rebellion.

I’ve been rejected from several bands before I joined Sourflake, being told that I don’t fit the “look” or simply that they chose someone more “appropriate”, which would always be a white person. However, where I’m from, taking this path is controversial, even unheard of, especially within heavy music. This paradox can leave alternative people of color without a creative lifeline.

Through my creative expression within Sourflake, I try to stay true to my Indian heritage and its contributions to the creation and evolution of music itself, whilst holding fast to the sonic extremity I so love.” – CJ

RESPECT.

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