Under the Radar: Water Machine


Drawing inspiration from The Pastels, The Beastie Boys and Pavement, Glasgow band Water Machine have developed an idiosyncratic sound that includes snatches of fiddle music and a dog on guest vocals, write Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon
Glasgow’s Water Machine have been making quite a splash since forming in 2023, garnering endorsements from the likes of punk legend Henry Rollins and veteran presenter Marc Riley. A further seal of approval comes from signing to Fat Cat Records, which has served as a career springboard for the likes of Frightened Rabbit, Twilight Sad and Honeyblood, as well as Icelandic legends Sigur Ros.
The band cite inspirations including The Pastels, The Beastie Boys, Pavement and La Tigre, and have created an idiosyncratic sound which includes the occasional bit of fiddle as well as guest vocals from band member Flore’s dog, Pat.
The band – whose members include a chef, a professional quiz master and a drummer who learned to play on Guitar Hero – already have a 6Music session under their belt, as well as appearances at the Great Western Festival and most recently The Great Escape festival in Brighton.
Their album God Park (which includes a limited edition vinyl version), is released on 20 June with a special launch at the Old Hairdressers in Glasgow. Summer shows include Kelburn Garden Party and the JT Soar Festival in Nottingham, with UK-wide and European tours to follow in September and October.
Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run music industry seminar and social night Born To Be Wide visit www.borntobewide.co.uk
Off Axis Tours CIC is an artist-to-artist, community interest company, on a mission to make the live industry fairer for musicians. Off Axis enables bands and solo acts to build a nationwide fanbase by swapping gigs and touring the UK. They offer a transparent model, where artists keep 100 per cent of profits, showcase at festivals and benefit from expert mentoring. Get tickets or join at https://offaxisgigs.com
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.