Sketchshow is a 5 piece math rock band from Southampton.
The band experienced some success with their 2018 EP, Patchwork. They even got to share the stage with the likes of Thank You, Scientist and Delta Sleep.
They spent the following 3 years honing their talents. All that hard work has culminated in their new album, Waves, being released today.
While there is undoubtedly jazz influence within the guitar and percussion sections, I hear some punk rock/pop punk influence. Especially in the vocal performance. It would be tough not to notice similarities between Sketchshow and early Paramore.
That particular influence isn’t one I normally see within the math rock circle, and it makes for a really interesting listen. There’s more energy here than what I typically expect from a band creating in the same genre.
The breakdowns are where the post hardcore and math rock influences really shine. The band perfectly balance these different sounds to create a truly linear album.
The perseverance and heart it takes to be a DIY band shines through on each track of this album. Each song leads into the next as the ebbs and flows consume you.
To put it simply, Sketchshow is breathing some much needed life into the world of math rock.
For fans of Signs of Progress, With Sails Ahead, Plini and Thank You, Scientist