THE FRONT ROW

LISTEN TO LOOKING FOR TROUBLE HERE

If you’re not already tuned into Dirty Blonde, consider this your official wake-up call. The Manchester duo, made up of Ailis Mackay and Hayley Tait, don’t just write songs — they craft sonic sucker punches. Their new EP Looking For Trouble is a five-track storm that pulls no punches, laying bare the gritty, gorgeous chaos of love, heartbreak, and northern swagger.

Fresh off a whirlwind debut year that’s seen them share stages with punk royalty and indie staples alike, Dirty Blonde are clearly not here to play second fiddle. Looking For Trouble proves they’ve got the guts, grit, and grit-pop gloss to back up the hype — and then some.

A Bold Evolution in Sound and Storytelling

Opening with a snarl, “Northern Twang” feels like a siren call for the heartbroken and hard-faced. From the get-go, it’s all attitude: stomping riffs, razor-sharp lyrics, and that irresistible blend of bluesy grit and indie-rock cool. It’s about falling for the wrong one — not in a cute, pop-song way, but in a reckless, head-over-heels-for-a-toxic-nightmare kind of way. Mackay’s vocal delivery drips with disdain and desire in equal measure, and the track’s title says it all: this is northern charm dipped in venom. It’s gritty, it’s grimy, and it absolutely rips.

Diving into Emotional Depths

“Polly” is pure chaos in the best way — grunge-tinged, heartfelt, and endlessly catchy. It captures that dizzying, dangerous high of early love: all butterflies and breakdowns. With its scuzzy guitars and heavy choruses, there’s an urgency here that echoes the very emotion it explores. It’s messy, moody, and feels like it’s been pulled straight from a late-night phone call or a journal scribbled in eyeliner. There’s something deeply DIY yet strangely cinematic about it — the kind of song that plays over the end credits of a film you don’t want to end.

Raw Emotion and Catharsis

“Rush” comes in like a shot of adrenaline — punchy, pacy, and unrelenting. The production’s tighter here, more pop-leaning than its predecessors, but still wears its punk heart on its sleeve. Tait’s guitar work feels more expansive, and the backing vocals hit that sweet spot between dreamy and defiant. It’s a track about chasing the high, whether that’s love, fame, or just the next big thrill. What stands out is Dirty Blonde’s ability to write hooks that don’t just stick — they tattoo themselves on your brain.

A Cohesive and Impactful Collection

Here’s where the gloves come off. “Adore Me?” is the emotional core of the EP — raw, unfiltered, and gut-punching in its honesty. The lyrics spiral between vulnerability and venom, flipping between desperation and defiance like a diary entry set to fuzzed-out guitars. You can feel the heartbreak, the second-guessing, the realisation that someone who once adored you… doesn’t. It’s arguably the standout moment on the record, not because it’s the loudest, but because it’s the bravest. This is Dirty Blonde at their most exposed, and it’s glorious.

Closing the EP is “Checkmate,” a swaggering send-off that brings the theme full circle. It’s strategic, sharp, and calculated — a lyrical chess game against a lover who thinks they’ve already won. There’s a theatrical edge to this one: distortion-heavy riffs meet biting vocals, and the result is something that feels both intimate and arena-ready. As a closer, it doesn’t let you down easy — instead, it leaves you wanting more. The game’s not over, but Dirty Blonde are already three moves ahead.

Looking For Trouble doesn’t just show Dirty Blonde finding their voice — it shows them owning it. This EP is fearless, fun, and full of feeling. It wears its influences on its sleeve (think early Wolf Alice meets Veruca Salt with a Mancunian sneer), but it’s never derivative. There’s a rawness to their songwriting that feels lived-in and real — and when paired with a sound that veers between indie-pop charm and alt-rock crunch, the result is completely magnetic.

Dirty Blonde are a band you root for. Not because they need the help — but because they’re everything that’s right about the current grassroots scene: ambitious, authentic, and fiercely original. Looking For Trouble is the kind of release that makes you fall in love with new music all over again.

FFO: Wolf Alice, Big Moon, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Elastica
Best Track: “Adore Me?”
Score: ★★★★☆