From the wilds of Glasgow comes Water Machine, a gloriously chaotic gang of art-punk misfits who’ve been stirring up noise (the good kind) since 2022. They officially level up with the release of their debut album ‘God Park’ via FatCat Records — and it’s every bit as gloriously unhinged, heartfelt, and genre-dodging as we hoped. Watch the video clip for Hot Real Estate lifted from the album via YouTube below.
Water Machine have always embraced the mess — in the best way. Whether they’re singing about dogs, dodgy landlords, or low-level existential crises, their songs are weird little gems that stick in your head and tug at your ribs. Over the past couple years, they’ve become cult faves on the UK underground circuit, teaming up with GoldMold Records and Upset the Rhythm, sharing stages with Shannon and the Clams and The Orielles, and even landing a BBC Radio 6 Music live session in Salford. Not too shabby.
Now with ‘God Park,’ they’re turning the dial up on the weird and the wonderful. The album is a 12-track sugar-rush that pulls influence from all over the place — think LiLiPUT-meets-The Pastels with a jittery, glittery edge. Tracks like Tiffany flirt with bubblegum pop, while Hando lures you into a country singalong before melting into a punky meltdown. One minute they’re channelling The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las, the next it’s Beastie Boys thrash, Sonic Youth drone, or tropicalia-tinted whimsy. And it all works.
Even with all the shapeshifting, there’s a through-line: joy. Big, messy, irreverent joy. This isn’t doom-and-gloom post-punk. Water Machine want to give you “realistic escapism,” lacing day-to-day struggles — office crushes, dead-end jobs, existential dread — with sardonic wit and a healthy dose of absurdity. They call their lyrics “hyper conceptualised allegories,” and honestly, that’s spot on.
Standouts like Dog Park bark with Ramones-y energy and girl-group drama, while Junction is a full-blown moshpit anthem that wouldn’t feel out of place between a Rage Against The Machine breakdown and a Beastie Boys verse. Then there’s Jimmy’s Waltz, a swoony, folky shuffle that pairs violin with acoustic intimacy — The Pogues might just raise a glass to it.
What ties all these moods together is the band’s unfiltered charm. Their arrangements are scrappy and surprising — melodic basslines, twisted guitars, violin runs, synth stabs, cowbell hits. You’ll catch nods to The Vaselines, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Beat Happening, even a bit of early Orange Juice in the sparkle. But Water Machine aren’t here to emulate. They’re carving out a space entirely their own — a space where punk can be playful, pop can be unruly, and everything is up for grabs.
As Henry Rollins (yes, that Henry Rollins) puts it: “Water Machine is a very cool band.” No arguments here.
Water Machine are:
- Hando Morice (they/them) – vocals, violin, synth
- Flore De Hoog (she/her) – bass, vocals
- Nicky Duncan (he/him) – drums, percussion
- Baby Cousland (they/them) – rhythm guitar
- Ellie McWhinnie (she/they) – lead guitar
‘God Park’ track list
- Clouds
- Thunder
- Hot Real Estate
- River
- Dog Park
- Jimmy’s Waltz
- Water Machine
- Tiffany
- Junction
- I Quit
- Park Highs
- Hando
Out now via FatCat Records — go give ‘God Park’ a spin.
This one’s for the dreamers, the weirdos, and the lovers of beautiful noise. Welcome to ‘God Park’.
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