If you’ve ever wished Manchester would lighten up a bit and trade in some of its post-punk brooding for something a little more sparkly, Autocamper might be your new favourite band.
The quartet is set to drop their debut LP, ‘What Do You Do All Day?,’ on July 11 via Slumberland (US) and Safe Suburban Home (UK). And it’s a dreamy, bittersweet love letter to everyday life—filtered through a jangly, lo-fi lens that’ll hit you right in the heart if you’re into The Feelies, Orange Juice, or anything ever released on Sarah Records.
Their new video for Again is out now, and it’s a perfect intro to their sound: understated, effortlessly melodic, and full of that warm, fuzzy charm you can’t fake. Think call-and-response vocals between Jack Harkins and Niamh Purtill, like a Northern English spin on The Vaselines, with lyrical themes that bounce between hungover reflections and minor domestic dramas. It’s low-stakes heartbreak with high emotional payoff.
The album was recorded at Glasgow’s Green Door Studio with Chris McCory (Catholic Action) behind the boards. And while Autocamper have shaken off some of their scrappier bedroom pop roots, they haven’t lost any of their sincerity. Jack’s vocals drift somewhere between Calvin Johnson’s laid-back murmur and a rainy-day indie mixtape, while Niamh’s whispery keys add a soft-focus glow to everything.
Musically, they’re pulling from all the right places—Flying Nun, early Creation, a touch of Felt. You’ll hear The Pastels in Map Like A Leaf (Tom Crossley even drops in with a flute cameo), and the spirit of Motown and The Feelies lurking in the rhythm section. Dogsitting brings a woozy organ line that could’ve fallen off a mid-’80s Cherry Red comp. There’s melody in every corner, but never in a try-hard way—it all flows naturally, like they’ve soaked up a lifetime of perfect pop and are just letting it pour out, track by track.
Autocamper aren’t chasing trends, or trying to repackage nostalgia—they’re simply great at writing songs that feel honest and human. Not twee, not ironic, not over-polished. Just pop music for those of us still trying to make sense of the mess.
What Do You Do All Day?
Out July 11 via Slumberland / Safe Suburban Home
Formats: Digital / LP / CD
Pre-order it here
Tracklist:
- Again
- Red Flowers
- Map Like A Leaf
- Foxes
- Proper
- You
- Dogsitting
- Somehow
- Linnean
- Street View
Dig into more Autocamper:
Bandcamp
Instagram
Facebook
Slumberland Records
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