Live Review: Clutter at the Lexington, London 16/4/25

I recently reviewed the debut single from Swedish four-piece Clutter and was instantly transfixed by their ‘90s-influenced yet totally unique sound. So when the chance came to catch them at their headline show at The Lexington in London, I was intrigued—and excited.

It felt a little surreal returning to The Lexington. The last time I’d been there was ten years ago to see one of my then-favourite bands, Robots in Disguise—a night that was extra special because I’d interviewed them too. It was a big deal for me at the time. Coming back after all these years, the venue felt smaller and more intimate than I remembered—maybe I’d inflated it in my memory—but honestly, I always prefer smaller venues anyway.

There were two support bands, each with their own distinct flavour, making for a varied and genuinely interesting evening of new music discovery.

First up was Haemogoblin, a band that kept me on my toes the entire set. Just as I thought I’d figured out their sound, they’d veer off in a totally different direction. There was a psychedelic instrumental track, touches of metal, moments of rap—it was unpredictable in the best way. But no matter the genre, they kept things sludgy, noisy, and weirdly hypnotic.

Next were Pisces, a band I wasn’t familiar with beforehand, but one who clearly already had a solid fanbase in the room. A four-piece with both a male and female vocalist, I wasn’t sure at first if they were quite my thing—but their catchy, danceable indie rock soon won me over. The dual vocals added depth and texture, and by the end of their set, I was fully on board.

Then it was time for Clutter. As a new band, their set was devastatingly short—but every moment of it was powerful. From the first note, it felt like being hit by a colossal wall of sound—loud, thrilling, like a thunderbolt straight to the veins. The band had cans of beer in front of them on stage, and the bass was so intense that the cans literally started moving across the floor. They exuded effortless cool, the kind that makes you want to know everything about them. Frontwomen Hilda Ander and Emma French switched instruments (guitar and bass) throughout the set with ease, adding to their magnetic stage presence.

Clutter have just released their debut EP, Clutter Loves You, and they played every track from it—as well as a few extras. They opened with debut single Jesus, and another standout moment was Geeks—a heavy, stomping anthem dedicated to “all the geeks and nerds,” which had me grinning from ear to ear.

Yes, the set was short, but Clutter are bursting with potential. With such a bold sound already in place, I can only see them getting louder, bigger, and even better from here. I’m excited to follow what comes next from this electrifying young band (they’re all just 20 years old!)—because this is only the beginning.