My Saturday At Reading Festival 2025

 
Having finally made it to a Reading Leeds festival, I can now spend even more time pining over old lineups I *could* have gone too... Anyways, I loved it! Awkward to get to but worth the long walks as the smaller venue scales well with the fasciitis. No queuing for water a blessing! Such things are probably not even a thought for a majority of the young audience. It seems the GCSE right of passage tales are true! Here are my highlights from the day among many more bands and artists I saw.

Mudi Sama
A raw and youthful performance from an unknown talent on the BBC Introducing stage, Mudi's fusion of Alternative Rock, Indie and Shoegaze melodies was an easy win over. Catchy hooks, warm uplifting tunes tackling emotions we all struggle with, there is a universal appeal here executed endearingly.

Sunday (1994)
Given the year, its no surprise to find this group reveling in 90s nostalgia. Led by the powerful resonance of Paige Turner, her body swaying presence on stage pulles one into the music invitingly. Straddling Dream Pop with Shoegaze and soft touches of Alternative Rock, their delicate, easy paced songs made for a relaxing indulgence in the shade of the tent. 

Rifle
Consisting of short unhinged scuffles of raw Punk noise, these Anarcho-Punkers blew me away. Rough and ragged, their instruments hit full tilt, hard and fast, led by uncompromising shouts of loud mouthed working class agitation. A vitriolic power blast, ignited by a front mans relentless energy and fiery shouts of anger. Top notch.

South Arcade
One to keep an eye on, this young and youthful act have potential in droves, ascending to the mainstage without an album under their belt. Their punchy take on Pop Metal and Pop Punk owes a lot to the likes of Linkin Park and more recently Bring Me The Horizon. Harmony Cavelle has a fantastic stage presence and the bands whole aesthetic throws back to my generation. All the pieces are in place, their songs are decent but with some maturity this band could have a broad appeal.

Origami Angel
A dynamic duo of a diversified internet generation, this pair pull influences from Punk, Emo, Indie and Post-Hardcore, throwing them into a unrestrained mix up. Driven by time signature shake ups, jostling heavy moments between lighter singing refrains, the diversity flowed with quirky fruity loop interludes breaking up their songs. Great show!

Limp Bizkit

My main pull to the festival served up exactly what I wanted. Moshing, jumping and shouting along! I've never let go of that now nostalgic fascination in me, the thirteen year old self watching Bizkit on MTV after school. It still gets me to this day. At this point I've seen them over a dozen times and still adore the show. Great to see lots of young people enjoying it too. The only thing I could I've asked for was more of Thieves. This rendition was cut all to short. I also loved the memes up on stage! Oh, and then there is the case of Ruth, what a sweet moment. Fred pulls out a fan from the crowd, a teenage fan with the red cap back. She must of had the time of her life up there on stage with the band. Good vibes all around.

Becky Hill
Admittedly I had to watch this one from a far. The tent was rammed, I spent my time devouring chips and chicken. All that moshing gave me a ravenous appetite. Becky's voice was a powerhouse overtop an easy listening fusion of Dance and Drum n Bass. It was such a good vibe, I spent the drive home listening to her tracks. Such a strong and harmonious tone, It was impressive watching her do it live.

Bring Me The Horizon

I hadn't given it much thought. I'd seen them plenty of times over the years but this was something special! Building out a big show for the mainstage, they went to another level. The stage started out as a sinister church of evil yet underwent some mind bending changes through the songs. Toying with themes around viruses, doomsday and AI, interludes addressing the audience referenced video game culture, creating a brilliant mix of elements. Better yet was the use of live transformative AI. What starts of as some manic manipulation of the main video feed, has Olli transformed into some demonic creature live before our eyes, his movements matching the wild animations. It was just an effective use of technology but shows the band have the mind to create an even bigger experience. Its been a while since a band had me enjoying such things alongside a banging set of songs.

BABYMETAL "Metal Forth" (2025)

Round five and were back on form with the triumphant Metal Forth! Not their fourth, unless your counting "metal" in the record title. Anyways, this latest installment is a lean thirty five minute, ten track blitz focused on creative collaboration. The likes of Poppy, Slaughter To Prevail, Polyphia and Spiritbox appear among other big names, lending their characteristic for a true crossover experience, something Metal has sorely lacked for decades. There's only three solo tracks Babymetal and one could be forgiven for thinking the closing White Flame featured Sabaton. Its a blazing roar of Power Metal might, executing all the tropes, practically a tribute to the sub-genre.

Interestingly, the remaining two solo tracks feel flat, recycling ideas the band have burned through before. That's why Metal Forth's merits rest on the synergy of its alliances. The creative partnerships genuinely cross a divide between sounds and birth a unique middle ground. Of course this all boils down to banging riffs and stomping grooves. The record fires on all cylinders in its stride but the point remains just how much freshness these uncommon unions provide. This is no "featured artist" but a firm commitment to integrating each others identities and it works so well.

Highlights include My Queen as the two bands jostle their heaviest aesthetics back and forth. Song 3 is another banger where the exchange yields a curious callback to Slipknot with its unhinged pinch harmonics and brutal riffage. RATATATA will likely stand out as a fan favorite. Electric Callboy's brand of tongue in cheek party meme metal a fun fit for the J-Pop influences. In a way it summarizes the overall mood, just a fun record about pumping out animated compositions embraces obnoxious grooves and lively melodies. Cracking record, falling just shy of something truly great.

Rating: 7/10

Enya "A Day Without Rain" (2000)

 

Enya! A name known far and wide across the musical realm, yet for why I wouldn't of been able to tell you, until recently. Hearing Orinoco Flow again, for the first time in decades, that sublime imaginative piece turned me onto her genius. Learning this record is one of the millenniums best selling, I've been set loose on a new journey.

A Day Without Rain strikes me as a union between classical instrumentation and modern convention, her voice arriving as an added dimension of charm, chiming in among the cast of apparatus making up an orchestra. Its mostly the staccato strings offer a melodic focus, as Classical grandiose arrangements are simplified into repetitive sections mimicking Pop music's verse chorus structure. The rest of the aesthetic range nestles into soothing ambiences, soft and gentle, giving space for the character of her subtly understated yet powerful voice to breath its life.

At times her exquisite tone takes on temperaments akin to a lead voice in traditional church music, hymns and psalms evoking rural echo's of Ireland and Wales. In these songs a deeply human empathy and sense of natural beauty emerges. One can almost see the rolling green hills of endless countryside and rural life that comes with it. Somehow, these moments flow perfectly with another half. Voice and instruments take on an adventurous, playful quality, exploring into fantastical spaces.

I couldn't talk about this record without mentioning Tempus Vernum. Led by Timpani drums and cold bells, Its cautious venture into stormy temperaments yields a danger from this orchestral setup I simply adore. This explains a curious bridge to the fantastical realms of war and darkness explored by the likes of Emperor's keyboard section and Glenn Stafford's medieval battle music heard on Warcraft II.

On some level, similar themes that evoke agrarian, un-urbanized, primitive yet spiritual emotions exist both here and in Fantasy music and Dungeon Synth among others from the more esoteric and obscure side of music I am usually indulged with. Enya is a refreshing take on that territory, making those connections without venturing into the abstract. Her older music however, might take a different direction.

Rating: 8/10

State Azure "Paradise Star EP" (2025)

EP by name but double LP by duration, Paradise Star drops four lengthy serine mood pieces alternating between Berlin School inspired synth jostling and brooding ethereal percussion-less soundscapes. Its opening piece, the twenty minute title track, a clear favorite. Its lively, animated cycling melody a curious engagement. Seeming more mechanical than expressive, its burgeoning bustles and gradual unwindings guide the song through phases over top dreamy synths. Together, they paint a rich atmosphere.

 White Lake and We Sleep Beneath A Dying Moon act as layered tone setting drones, great for focus and meditative moods. Pathfinder feels like a mastery of texture, guiding its various sequenced instruments through gradual shifts as sharp attack-decay keys and drums exchange over soft elongated synth chords. Its a textural treat but in its lengthy incarnation, this aesthetic class becomes secondary to the musics lengthy trajectory. All in all, an impressive set of songs befitting of my taste right now.

Rating: 7/10 

$uicideboy$ "Thy Kingdom Come" (2025)

 

Its a smash! Returning swiftly from New World Depression, cousins Ruby and Scrim spin the wheels recycling their distinct but well refined formula. Now accustom with their gritty aesthetic, I found this thirty minute record to offer little fresh or exiting. Second track Napoleon leans into some classic 90s Southern Hip Hop themes, mustering a momentary flair as the records tone quickly resettles. Later on Grey+Grey+Grey ushers in scary movie soundtrack vibes with a Horrorcore style banger. The following Carried Away caught my ear too. A moody number, leaning on the hazy vibes of its depressing Ethereal atmosphere.

These where a couple of highlights among a lack of novelty. One of my biggest takeaways was noticing how many beats use the exact same drum kit, often with the same hi-hat rhythm. That lack of variety essentially parallels a very casual approach to songwriting. Hastily produced beats, flexing lyrics that feel expressive of the moment but lack a broader scope. Hooks are sorely missed too. Not a single track lands something truly memorable. Although their sincerity is endearing, that power wears off when the creative process feels routine and dialed in. Overall, a disappointment.

Rating: 4/10 

Old Sorcery "The Lost Grimoire" (2025)

Previously released only under the physical medium of cassette, one can now indulge in what I presume are leftovers of old, given its similarity to the esoteric moods heard on Realms Of Magickal Sorrow. The first of four, To The Infinity Of The Forest conjures memories of A Forest Trapped. Its another slowly brooding enchantment, natural yet steeped in mysticism, led by glacial melody. Groans from a familiar yet mysterious deep bellowing voice eventually cry out to further enrich is curious tone.

 

A shorter piece, Mana Shrine Revisited, focuses efforts on a more abrasive set of instruments. Leading the arrangement, something brassy, woodwind alike that I couldn't nail down. Possibly a murky accordion? As the song progresses, steely yet animated melodies rush in to chime, evoking a classic castly Dungeon Synth motif.

 

Raven's Fortune sparks a little mischief with its opening playful melodies, only for its jollity to give way to a yawning synth string section. We are whisked once again into the ambiguous realms of imagination, laced with ancient, witchcraft suggestions. The playful tone reoccurs on its lengthy closer, The Tranquil. Bell chimes and staccato strings pace themselves as the steady brooding of flutes slowly ushers in strings that build to the tracks fading conclusion with a touch of cinematic scope.

 

These compositions fit in snugly with that classic era but one can see how they perhaps lack a sense of adventure Old Sorcery's album embark on, as pivots and transformations usually serve as the gratifying mystique to tie all this Dungeon Synth inspired imagination together. Either way, The Lost Grimoire is a welcome addition to a fine discography!

 

Rating: 5/10 

Scowl "Are We All Angels" (2025)

Catching my ear with their easy sways between scruffy Grunge chorus riffs and melodic Shoegaze tinged verses, Fantasy served as an intriguing song to pull me in. Sadly, Scowl currently stand as a band with plenty of potential. Are We All Angels' production out paces the bands depth of ideas. Brimming with a fiery aesthetic, their fusion of Pop Punk, Grunge, Hardcore Punk, Alt Rock, even touches of Metal - feels so fitting of this era. The ability to look back a couple of decades and revise such ideas has yielded magic with fresh faced bands like Turnstile.

 

Unlike their contemporaries, Scowl's riffs and motifs lack a spark of imagination. Arrangements and music ideas feel relatively basic, leaning on that stunning aesthetic to get by. Front loaded, the first string of songs will et pumped up but as the record draws on the songs dull into a mediocrity. Singer Kat Moss is the bands brightest light, her voice adds a smooth veneer of color to the crunchy aggression her band mates assemble. Her occasional unhinged shouts froth with an apt angst, anchoring her in this energized setting as she more often plays the counterpart.

 

Their chemistry is strong, the auditory experience is spot on but as stated the songwriting suffers. The record ends up muddling its way through half baked ideas, feeling like either record filler or I'm missing the point. Potential is the word, one to keep an eye on. At this incarnation they are still finding their voice and you hear it on occasion with songs like Special, Fantasy and Not Hell, Not Heaven.

 

 Rating: 5/10

Kae Tempest "Self Titled" (2025)

 The weight of depressive expressions heavies with age, my appetite for hearing such struggles continually diminishing. Self Titled acts as a firm reminder of this personal trend, a brutally unfurled delve into this latest chapter of mental health and gender identity issues. Its tone plays a smothering suffocation, as burdensome lyricism and downtrodden beats unite to paint an artistic doom and gloom matching the pains of this spoken word, rhyme rap poet.

 

 Breaking from the drudgery, Sunshine On Catford acts like a fleeting peak of sun between dreary rain clouds. An inflection of warmth, still lingering on the melancholy of minor chords, tinged by 90s Dance piano melodies in its chorus. A strange sullen lover letter of sorts that finds a similar tonality again on Prayers To Whisper. Otherwise, Self Titled's instrumentals are casually dark, hardly adventurous but competent at assembling percussive grooves with flashes classy instrumentation.

 

Diagnoses stands apart as anthem for self inflicted mental health saturation. Along with another track, a theme of contrast upon these internal obsessions and the world at large emerges. A strange blame game of victim hood that feels confusing as to its purpose. Otherwise the record is pretty coherent, a walk through the current woes of a struggling artist. The expression is powerful but as already stated, this broody temperament has been hard for me to endure these days.

 

Rating: 6/10 

Tyler The Creator "Don't Tap The Glass" (2025)

Arriving swiftly off the back of a remarkable Chromakopia, Tyler suddenly drops this fun fast and loose record. A surprise release, Don't Tap The Glass clocks in as one of his shortest albums under the thirty minute mark. Consequently, this pays without a dull moment, perfect for its restless energy, expressed through quirky tone and playful mood, something familiar of Tyler yet spun again, lively, renewed and fresh.

 

Working with layers of punchy instrumentation, rhythms and melodies overlap in a subtly dizzying frenzy of crunchy sounds, orchestrated with a stroke of class. Jolting grooves rumble with snappy and sporadically off kilter percussion. Plenty of instruments jive in with stabs, strikes and momentary contributions that stack up. It can be quite fun to pay attention and see how many sounds you can single out.

 

Too my ears, the big influences at play are 80s Hip Hop drum machines and 90s Southern Hip Hop melodies, often piano led. Not exclusive, but struck me as part of the approach to many of these tracks, the last three taking on Soul and R&B colors in its temperament. Of course its no surprise, central to it all, written in his name, a ceaseless thirst of creativity flows again. Fresh off a deep, introspective record, Tyler marvelously pivots into a playful avenue with this lively record I'll be enjoying for weeks to come.

 

Rating: 7/10 

Thornhill "Bodies" (2025)

 

Originality is a contestable term, often misplaced by a lack of context and history - something we are all born ignorant to. It leads me to ponder why does this idea of whats "original" influence our personal enjoyment of music? After all, music is all connected, past and present, strong or weak! A fair portion of Thornhill's sound lives directly in the shadow of Djent Deftones, the post Diamond Eyes era. Something that seemed like an issue on first impressions. Fortunately, the power of inspired song writing has prevailed. I've adored Bodies since the second spin, its expressive force a consuming indulgence in the throws of its familiar soft-heavy dynamics.

Songs sway from crushing blows of meaty Djent guitar stomp groove, into shoe-gazing swaths of hazy melancholic colors, as melodies melt in the wall of sound production style utilized. So to does Jacob Charlton's vocals follow this motif, toying with his sensitive, vulnerable tones and pivoting into throat clenching screams, nestled wisely into the dense mix. Operating with fractions of Progressive Metalcore and occasional thematic Nu Metal overtones, the group wear their influences broadly, yet electrify in riots of groove and rhythmic theatrics as their best tricks roll out a treat.

It glimpses a heading towards Argant Metal territory in sparse moments, an insight to emphasize a understated part of their sound design. Synths and production antics shape out the sound to a sonic experience of stylish aggression. Interludes, build ups and breaks meld crafty drum machines into the fold, displaying overt EDM and Trap influences as the group toy with instrumental samples. Its all a firm sign of the talent that goes into shaping up what could of easily been a plain faced imitation game.

The record has an interesting structure, its more emotional, atmospheric edges start and close the record, leaving its explosive numbers in the middle. Tounges, Nerv and Obsession erupt with countermanding violence, a reversal that pulls its dynamic ends together, amped up and invigorated as this string of songs fires off with the low menace end of their down tuned Djent guitars. Bodies is a cracking listen, yet to tired on me, indicating this band may have a lot to offer. Another journey begins now!

Rating: 7/10

Potatohead People "Emerald Tablet" (2025)

 

 In collaboration with a sleek yet little known rapper Slippery Elm, producer duo Potatohead People return with a soothing set of sensuous songs. Delving into the love of their matured Jazz Hop craft, these beats emanate a loving nurture. Every inch of its aesthetic range feels dialed in. Snappy percussion locks in alongside warm grooving baselines. Ambiguous dreamy instruments drift by in the backdrop, swirling softly exotic melodies behind its upfront tuneful lines. Together they form a breezy listening experience, persuasive and classy, nothing but feel good vibes.

 

Emerald Tablet's lyrical element does little to swing it in either direction. Slippery's steady cadence and spoken demeanor a firm fit but far from offering substance to perk the ears. A lot of verses run expressive to his own experiences but fall shy of pulling one into that world. A few lively rhyme schemes emerge but its mostly a tame ride. Where he shines is with these casual lapses into singing. His sung lines feel effortless yet charming, melding into the instrumentals breezy stature.

 

 With an expanded instrumentation pallet of strings, harps, bells and orchestra adjacent sounds, this inspired "leveling up" may have a direct artistic origin, To Pimp A Butterfly. Nightbird tips this hand as its foundations play all to similar to song of that record. Spinning them back to back you can hear all the ques, ideas rippling out from that classic into the composition of this record. Some of its melodies are uncannily alike. Not a blemish but something to be enjoyed. That's mostly my impression of Emerald Tablet, enjoyable but not much is sticking beyond enjoying it in the moment.

 

Rating: 6/10 

Qendresa "Londra" (2024)

Shifting gears, refining the chemistry, Londra trades in its Vapourwave idiosyncrasies for a dusky flavor. This collection of mellowed out R&B dwellings settle on subdued night light vibes, with a touch of Noir Jazz gloom to it. It becomes more apparent as the record grows, early on moods are brighter. Its opener 2 Much revels in a groovy G-Funk shadow. Its all subtitles tho, as the musics tempo is consistently effortless.

 

 Despite having engaging instrumentals that consistently conjure these slick, dusky spells, its Qendresa herself who breaks the allure as the album progress. Early on her soft singing charms, Sweet Lies reminiscent of Grimes at her best. Toning down the presence of these smooth sung lines, opting in for a casual, spoken word approach to her verses, a social, conflict oriented braggadocio persona steadily emerges.

 

Its this lyrical focus that spoiled the musical magic for me. Status oriented, plain worded ventilations of social dramas and relationship woes cross' paths with seemingly shallow statements of boastful intent, aimed at putting down others. The self indulgence of it all added an unemphatic layer to the music hard to relate with. Otherwise a solid listen but this shift in tone to "harden up" was not to my liking.

 

Rating: 4/10 

Little Simz "Lotus" (2025)

 

Simz is one to deliver a slice of life within her ambitious records, however Lotus is precisely that slice alone. With little beyond delivering ruminations on life's current struggles, one sorely senses the absence of an anthem like Venom or Woman. I suspect Young may have been this intended beat, however its overt British jibe and cheeky tone plays like an echo of Blur's Park Life, lacking that oomph to sell itself.

Free strikes me as the records high point, a mellow spell, uniting Soul and Jazz Hop with periodic flashes of serenading string sections. Simz's expressive yet plain spoken raps make for easy listening through a soothing aesthetic chemistry. This however becomes the records fatal sticky point. So much of Lotus' affable energy fails to surpass itself and muster a meaningful gusto that can break this eternally gentle tone.

Enough comes close, livening up with a firm percussive dance beat. Frolicking hooks and mischievous baselines create a playful tone among its sporadic splurges of zany synth. So to does the records title track strive ambitious and bold with its big instrumentation. Simz' raps a firm source of intrigue and emotive release, yet the jazzy instrumentation feels underwhelming in comparison to the fires set in her lyrics.

Other chapters of Lotus' mellow out into scenic lulls, comparable to spoken poetry. Simz's lyrics feel more like intimate journals or exhaled thoughts than composed verses in a structured song. On one hand, a curious experience, on the other, repetition breeds a dullness as familiarity makes for a mostly uneventful album.

Rating: 6/10

Sikth "Death Of A Dead Day" (2006)

A blast from the past! This record I experienced mostly though my friends. Having devoured The Trees Are Dead And Dried Out, I recall not being particularly impressed with this new venture. We saw Sikth at Download Festival and then they split up. Its left this record buried deep in the memories. Unearthing it again highlights its flaws, an underwhelming sophomore from a group who set the bar high for themselves.

 

Death Of A Dead Day yields its twelve cuts to the metallic kneel, choking their own peculiarities as creativity gets channeled into what feels like convention. Despite being loaded with spurious fret tapping melodies, complex harmonies and the occasional poly rhythm, Sikth under deliver on what made them stand apart. The enigmatic beast is present but the compositional approach leaves ideas underwhelming.

 

With all that said, this is a very enjoyable record, full of musical virtuoso and chaotic melodies you wont hear elsewhere. An entertaining listen where twists and turns come fast and frequent, a restless nature always embarking on the next musical idea. Led by the exchanges of their duo front act, its what you'd expect from Sikth.

 

Having given it a bunch of spins once again, I'd discovered Summer Rain and As The Earth Spins Round to be exception cuts, the latter ending the record with a fantastic outro riff uniting a pacey choppy rhythm guitar with epic melancholic lead melody. These peaks are comparable with their best output but the record plays a clear grade below that fantastic debut album. Approaching twenty years, Its been a nostalgic trip.

Rating: 7/10 

Qendresa "Midnight Request Line" (2020)

Dropping in with a sleek 00s R&B voice, London singer Qendresa distinguishes herself from the crowd with genius instrumental chemistry. Its seemingly obvious in retrospect but I'd yet to hear this combination before. Given that Vapourwave often pitches samples from the umbrella of Soul, Funk and Disco, this is an obvious fit.

 

Taking the foundation of R&B, these instruments play slowed and slurred. Melodies and tempos descend into a dreamy Ethereal realm, as the breezy Vapourwave aesthetic emerges from this approach. Armed with slow G-Funk era baselines, the likes of Ice Cube's You Know How We Do It comes to mind, the music croons.

 

At a short twenty minutes, the craft blooms on tracks Real Luv and Be Mine, whereas the rest of the record descends into a vibe over substance tangent. Midnight Request Line exposes this fantastic chemistry, yet struggles to explore its potential depths, leaving one with a solid apatite for more. However this vibe is undeniably on point.

 

Rating: 6/10