High Vis

In the organizer's words:

The title of High Vis' latest album fits the London band's music perfectly. "Blending" describes exactly the method of singer Graham Sayle and his crew. High Vis love an aggressive sound, but sonically they open themselves up to any genre or scene. Solidly based on a furious post-punk, the quintet musically uses whatever it takes to create something completely new. Be it the echoing vocals combined with new wave guitars, be it the baggy sound from Madchester reminiscent of the Stone Roses or the Happy Mondays, be it a Britpop melody that is quickly sawn apart by a roaring riff or a Hüsker Dü bass: on "Blending", every atmosphere has been given its own characteristic sound. The songs not only openly attack everyday life in the UK, Sayle combines his social awareness with his own emotional world and creates something that is both loud, but also reaches out to people and ultimately conveys a message of hope. But perhaps High Vis have had enough of it by now. Because they recently released a new single, "Mob DLA", a foretaste of their upcoming album, which is due to be released later this year and is characterized by the energy and mentality of street punk. The band is now just pissed off, in this case at the UK's welfare system. The needy and marginalized are no longer supported, says Sayle, marginalized communities are left to fend for themselves and then vilified in targeted smear campaigns. All of this is happening in the shadow of ever-increasing bonuses and salaries for the political and industrial elite and their friends. With this righteous anger, it's no wonder that High Vis' music will be even straighter, more concentrated and more aggressive on the upcoming record. At the twin festivals Hurricane and Southside, you could already experience the energy with which the English band represent their concerns on stage. High Vis have now announced a major tour for late fall.