More about: cowboyy

How do you label yourself if your sound is simply a giant boiling pot? Taking from anything from math rock, 2010s alt-indie to western riffs and jazz jam-inspired ebs and flows - there’s a lot going on in cowboyy’s debut single ‘Gmaps’. And when that happens, sometimes you simply have to call it art pop and move on.

Setting spoken word lyrics on top of a twangly (not a word, but makes a lot of sense here) guitar base, it’s reminiscent of Los Bitchos if they were really into modern post-punk. But unlike a lot of the new post-punk bands, there’s a thorough sense of silliness here. 

The composition is full of fun, as though the joy in the recording process comes through totally untouched by any cynicism or nervousness that the industry can foster. In short - this is exactly what a debut single should be, buzzing with the energy of being a new band ready to introduce themselves.

Only forming in January 2022, the band already have a cult live following. Doing it the old-school way by launching themselves on the live circuit before taking to the studio, we love the sense of ritual and tradition in the way cowboys have launched themselves, despite their sound being far from traditional in any sense. It’s nice seeing a band lock down their live presence first at a time when that seems like an afterthought still for so many huge-streamer artists. 

With today being the first time the world outside of their live show audiences have heard anything from the band, we’ll be keeping our eyes and ears firmly locked on cowboyy.

'Gmaps' is out now via Nice Swan Records

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: cowboyy