Despite members of Umarells being old friends from school, university flatmates and even colleagues at an Indian restaurant for years - it was a spontaneous trip to the seaside town of Blackpool that ignited the musical flame within these five friends.

Hailing from Manchester collectively but still a proudly Northern 5-piece, Umarells released their first single “You're Not Here” in 2023. Sweet synths like sparkling raindrops in an anime pond alongside the soft warm glow of the guitars immediately sets the scene of this melancholic track. Imogen Badrock’s vocal style pairs perfectly, so calming and mellow it welcomes you to hark back to past memories, whether positive or negative, of those close to you.

Although Umarells’ first gig ended in a broken ankle for Badrock, the group refused to let injury stop their momentum and took this time to fine-tune their sound and their craft - expanding their writing styles and group listening sessions resulting in their proudest creations yet. Having so far been referred to as "the UK’s answer to Crumb", expect new music coming soon to expand your Umarells horizons.

Words by Elli Brazzill

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