A Stoke-on-Trent band that embraces the typo in their name, Formal Sppeedwear release their debut album ‘Punch Card’ on 11 September, 2026. When talking about the record, the band said: ‘Our aim is to undermine anything leaning too far one way or the other. We shoot for homogeneity – if it sounds good and its component parts can’t be pulled out, we’ve matched the job description’.

‘Hit ‘n’ Run’ opens the album with an exhilarating introduction to the band’s wonky pop sound – think Dutch Uncles, Field Music, Talking Heads (especially in that groovy bass line) – while recent single ‘Who Needs Spain Ball’ continues in boisterous, bouncy and almost singalong fashion: ‘I I knew then what I know now’. It’s short, sharp and has potent blasts of power pop guitar scattered throughout. There’s a touch of Peter Gabriel in ‘Indecent’ before it takes a left turn into the post-punk sound of the early 2000s, with lyrics aimed directly at you: ‘Today, I’m just visiting’.

‘Knutmo 1-5’ starts with the band asking ‘What’s that sound?’ and finishes with chiming indie hooks and futuristic keys – a combination of classic and futuristic sounds, with a stop by at Tom Waits-esque growling for good measure. ‘Aardvark x2’ is a danceable and funky piece that adds more gritty tones as it progresses, while ‘A Concise History’ starts with stabbed organ-sounding notes and adds math-pop guitar hooks that you’ll want to hum along to.

‘Wait (Hatchet Gets a New Hide)’ opens with incidental and experimental noise that evolves into an appealing art rock sound, complete with surprisingly sensitive lyrics (‘I cannot believe it when you open my eyes’) and a direct line of questioning: ‘What was that you told me?’ ‘The Ballad of DCB’ is a more uptempo, driving tune with a big, sunny chorus and bass-led breakdown, while ‘New Brother’ blends stop-start guitars with a desire for connection. The penultimate ‘Appointment’ steps back into XTC territory before ‘Friedrich Backs Up Nothing’ closes the album in almost anthemic but expertly deconstructed and strange, alluring fashion.

On album centrepiece ‘Fleas’, the band declare ‘We’re all rough diamonds’. With layers of sound, melody and sonic experimentation at the forefront, this is an album you’re sure to dig.