October Drift

Somerset indie rockers October Drift blend the jangly sounds of British shoegaze bands like Ride with the dirty, quiet-loud dynamic of U.S. grunge.
While October Drift officially launched in 2015, its members — Kiran Roy (vocals, guitar), Daniel Young (guitar), Alex Bipsham (bass), and Chris Holmes (drums) — had been playing music together since high school in Taunton, Somerset, in south-west England. Cultivating an air of mystery by shunning social media, they initially focused on playing live, building such a glowing reputation for their high-energy gigs that their first tour completely sold out without their having even released a single. With a heavy ’90s influence, they blended the jangly sounds of British shoegaze bands like Ride and the dirty, quiet-loud dynamic of U.S. grunge with catchy melodies and depressing vocals reminiscent of Joy Division. Other influences ranged from Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake to the National. Their self-released early singles, when they came, were championed by the music press, and they began to get higher-profile festival slots. With a D.I.Y. ethic, they produced all their releases at their own studio, and even much of their merchandise was handmade. In 2018 they released their first single with a label, “Come and Find Me,” on Fierce Panda. That year they toured Europe with Editors, and the following year with We Are Scientists; their debut album, Forever Whatever, was released in 2020 by Physical Education. ~ John D. Buchanan