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‘Conditions II’ EP set for release March 1st, via Nice Swan Records (pre-order here)
“Pairing post-punk’s staccato vocal delivery with the raw vitality of electronic music” DIY Magazine
“A sheer bombardment of energy” NME
“A riotous ball of whipping punk energy” Dork Magazine
“It’s post-punk for the end of the world, for when the sky is falling, for when the ground gives out from
underneath your feet” Consequence of Sound
“Post-punk infused electric melodies” So Young Magazine
“Post-punk grinding with some Nine Inch Nails-style industrial thrashing” The New Cue
“The love of the dance scene meets the love of raw darkly atmospheric noise… Gothic sounding guitars duel
with the sensory overload of a techno club” Steve Lamacq, BBC 6 Music
“For disciples of Black Midi… except in comparison, they are thunderous in their riffs. There is an immense
atmosphere in the way this band plays” Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1
“Chalk have really mastered capturing the anxiety of a generation” Tara Kumar, BBC Radio 1
“The most exciting Northern Irish guitar band in years” BBC Introducing
Belfast post-punk/electronic risers Chalk share biting new effort ‘Bliss’, out today (February 28th), marking the final reveal from their upcoming ‘Conditions II’ EP, set for release March 1st via Nice Swan Records (Sports Team, Pip Blom, English Teacher). The first collaborative track of the band’s career, this new record features the vocals of singer Constance Keane – aka Fears (also vocals for Mhaol). Stunning Post-Punk traditions and cinematic production blend with ethereal harmonies and widescreen electronica on the band’s penultimate release of their second project.
Fresh from winning ‘Best Live Act’ at NI Music Prize 2023, Chalk relentless ascent continues to gather thrilling pace, with both EP singles ‘The Gate’ and ‘Claw’ landing on the BBC 6 Music playlist (alongside PJ Harvey, IDLES, Sampha, Yard Act) and championed by Jack Saunders to kick off 2024, whilst widespread praise throughout the press community (The Independent, NME, DIY, Dork, Rolling Stone UK, So Young, The New Cue, Rough Trade, Consequence of Sound) has clearly positioned the trio at the very forefront of the emerging indie elite.
Inspired by the ferocity and live performance of Dublin’s guitar scene, coupled with the sweaty, hardcore dance landscape in their native Belfast, Chalk have already sold out multiple dates throughout the UK and Europe in the last twelve months, including much-lauded slots at the likes of Reading and Leeds, Trans musicales, Reeperbahn Festival and Eurosonic. With 2024 looking even busier on the live front, the three-piece are primed to head stateside for their debut appearance at SXSW next month, before their biggest UK headline tour to date and a series of Irish dates supporting fellow risers Sprints.
Detailing their final EP reveal, bandleader Ross Cullen stated: “The theme of Bliss was originally from a short film I wrote whilst we were at university. It’s about two people who once shared a love in the past seeing each other again. No words shared between them, just thoughts and an acknowledgement of what
could have been.”
Produced by Chris Ryan (NewDad, Enola Gay, Just Mustard) and Ross Cullen, Chalk’s ‘Bliss’ is out now via Nice Swan Records and available on all digital platforms.
Chalk Online: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Spotify / Youtube
Live Dates
11th-16th Mar – SXSW
20th Mar – Hare & Hounds V2, Birmingham
21st Mar – Oslo, London
22nd Mar – SOUP, Manchester
23rd Mar – Ritual Union, Bristol
25th Mar – Clwb lfor Bach, Cardiff
27th Mar – Green Door Store, Brighton
28th Mar – Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
12th Apr – Limelight 2, Belfast
18th Apr – Dolans Warehouse, Limerick*
19th Apr – Roisin Dubh, Galway*
25th Apr – Supersonic, Paris
26th Apr – Printemps de Bourges, Bourges
27th Apr – Le Grand Mix, Tourcoig
3rd May – The Button Factory, Dublin*
*w/ Sprints
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