Avant-pop rebellious siblings ready for noisy, aggressive enjoyment…
If your music playlist is feeling a bit dull, PUNCHBAG is the ideal cure to liven it up. This sibling duo from South London, Clara Bach and her brother Anders, deliver a vibrant and energetic pop sound that’s truly captivating. Coupled with their sharp lyrical commentary on the blurred line between digital chaos and real-life challenges, they describe their music as ‘aggressive hopecore’, creating an exhilarating mix. “It’s about experiencing that sweaty, noisy, and aggressive cathartic release without the doom and gloom,” Anders shares. Clara emphasizes that they naturally balance both fun and serious elements in their music. “Both laughing and crying hold equal importance,” she notes. “Some emotions are so messed up and indescribable that it’s perfectly valid to either laugh at yourself or cry your eyes out, so our music tends to be both laugh-inducing and tear-jerking – wow, I’m quite the wordsmith!”
Initially pursuing their own distinct post-rock and pop music projects, Clara and Anders discovered the spark of PUNCHBAG when they collaborated during lockdown. Their contrasting tastes and personalities played a pivotal role in their songwriting process. “When we struggled to nail a melody, we’d sometimes go a few rounds in a ring until one of us got knocked out,” Anders jokes. In true DIY fashion, they recorded their initial tracks at home, with Clara often squeezing into her wardrobe during vocal recordings. They embraced the limitations they faced. “When you have endless options, it’s easy to feel lost,” Anders explains. “We aimed to keep things straightforward… our creative process is pretty intense, but the music is deeply personal, so having the freedom to create as we wished was vital.”
Their debut EP, ‘I’m Not Your Punchbag’, encapsulates their philosophy in under 15 minutes. It feels like an auditory boxing match, alternating between strong pop melodies and unexpected twists in an extreme yet cohesive manner. ‘Pretty Youth’ stands as the band’s “anti-coming-of-age anthem,” featuring relentless synths and guitars bursting forth, while ‘You Used To Be So Sexy’ reinterprets phone obsession as a toxic relationship. “We once envisioned a future filled with flying cars, but now we're faced with daunting AI and algorithms that keep us glued for hours; it used to seem so alluring,” Clara reflects. The titular track of the EP exemplifies PUNCHBAG’s boldness, not only inspiring their band name but also foundational to their core belief that defiance triumphs over doubt, and enjoyment eclipses fear. “We strive to make everything we do as uncompromising as possible,” Anders states. “It’s also beneficial to feel uncomfortable while creating, which helps push boundaries even further.”
Ultimately, the standout track ‘Fuck It’ encapsulates the duo perfectly, as Clara elaborates: “PUNCHBAG is about joy, catharsis, and real life—it's not escapist music, nor are we fabricating a mystical realm around it. It’s about confronting issues directly, and a song like ‘Fuck It’ really reflects that sentiment. ‘We’re all gonna die,’ sure, but let’s also make our time here worthwhile by pursuing the things we desire. Kiss the person you want to kiss. Speak your truth!”
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The ‘I’m Not Your Punchbag’ EP is available now on Mute. PUNCHBAG will perform their debut headline show in London at the Bermondsey Social Club on May 29th.
Words: Jamie Wilde
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If your current music selection seems a bit dull, PUNCHBAG is the ideal solution to add some excitement. This sibling duo from South London consists of