Scottish alt/pop rock band happydaze announce new EP Full Free Radical
Scottish alt/pop rock band happydaze have announced their new EP, Full Free Radical, to be released 12th May via Thriller Records.
Along with the news, the quartet have also released the title-track single, '(Full Free) Radical', with a retro-inspired video.
Watch: https://youtu.be/k77YCygrS5A
Stream: https://orcd.co/happydaze-fullfreeradical
'(Full Free) Radical' is produced by Mike Green (New Found Glory, All Time Low, Real Friends) and features the band's signature sound with a sing-along chorus that will take you straight to summer, along with a nostalgic 90's video vibe to have you reaching the rewind button.
On the EP, vocalist Luke comments: "Full Free Radical is the product of the last year of our lives. It’s about the decisions you make that change your life forever, the coming and going of people on your journey and taking care of the important things along the way. We have spent the last year finding out who we are as a band while finishing this record, wanting to make something that felt familiar but also new and exciting. The songs are honest, real and the truest representation of who we are as a band so far, we can’t wait to give them away to the world."
The new single is the third release of 2023 from the quartet, following the smash successes of previous singles 'Faded' and 'Cool Blue', which premiered on BBC R1, and follows their highly successful 2022, including support tours with Boston Manor and Neck Deep.
The story of happydaze began in an abandoned barn, at a battle of the bands contest outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was there a 15yr old Luke Bovill (vocals) met Pete Bunting (drums) for the first time. Despite being competitors on the day the two kept in touch, always expressing a desire to one day collaborate and play together. Following the break up of bands and numerous creative relationships dissolving, early 2020 found the pair able to start something new. At this point Luke brought in college friend Rory Gault-Gordon (guitar) and at a later date Pete asked Adam Campbell (guitar) from the Edinburgh scene to join. It was here happydaze was formed.
Shortly after the band came together, the upheaval and uncertainty of the global pandemic placed the world on pause. Despite the clear restrictions the band threw themselves into happydaze with a focus and enthusiasm that was immediately different from any of their previous projects. Luke remembers “Like everyone, we were unsure of how long we would be stuck in the house for, and we quickly realised we had the time to work on what we REALLY wanted happydaze to be. This ended up being months and months of zoom calls to write songs - me in my flat, Pete in the studio, which is fortunately round the corner from his place - going over every detail. 16 hour days in rooms with no windows, building something up from scratch. The band really gave us purpose in such uncertain times, and now that we have opportunities to share it with the world and hear how the songs resonate with people.”
Following the release of a series of singles in ‘21, the band’s debut EP Underground Summer Sound was released early ‘22. With the world opening up happydaze jumped straight into touring, playing their first headline shows in the UK to the fanbase they’d built during the past year. This was swiftly followed by a run opening for Neck Deep that also took them into mainland Europe for the first time, as well as further UK shows in the year with Between You & Me and dates with ROAM. Alongside the band continued to build their audience and pick up media coverage at Rock Sound, Kerrang!, Radio 1 Rock Show as well as Spotify editorial support at New Music Friday, All New Rock, Pop-Punk’s Not Dead and Misfits 2.0.
Shortly after the release of the debut EP, their thoughts returned home, restless with plans for the next phase for the band. “Our studio space in Edinburgh is a renovated old house” - picks up Luke - “We have a sick community of bands around us in separate rooms, you can hear them through the walls and when you’re outside in the car park. We write & rehearse there, we’ve recorded there, shot music videos there. It really is a second home, for all of us.” In addition to their community, further international influences helped enhance the happydaze sound: “We had the privilege and time to have songwriting sessions with so many amazing producers and musicians - Matt Squire (Panic at the Disco, Good Charlotte), Mike Green (Sum 41, All Time Low), Sky Acord (Issues, Twenty One Pilots) - all of which has helped shaped our songwriting. Alongside we all appreciate and love electronic, emo-trap, soundcloud-pop-punk music. This has evolved to adopting elements of drum and bass, garage, lofi beats, anything we enjoy listening to we try to incorporate those vibes into our songs.”
Keep up with the band on: Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
