THE FRONT ROW

Kissing On Camera crash onto the scene with “Baby Names” – a fuzzed-out, emotionally raw debut that comes swinging from the heart of London by way of Dublin. This isn’t polished, primped, or trying to please algorithms. It’s youthful, jagged, and gloriously loud, the kind of DIY alt-rock that reminds you why you fell in love with music in the first place.

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Made up of Josh Rosney, Sam Cheesmore, Morgan Beausang, and Sebastian Bluestone, the four-piece have been turning heads across London’s underground for the last year or so. But this EP is their first real manifesto, and it’s a visceral listen from the off.

Opening with Corner Couch, they waste no time getting into it. The track fizzes with restless momentum, an angular guitar line cuts through like a knife while Rosney’s vocal punches through the haze with a melodic drawl that’s equal parts vulnerability and venom. It sets the tone perfectly: emotional grit in widescreen.

Tag, You’re It follows – not so much a standalone song as a fuzzy, riff-led interlude that bridges the gap. Acting as a palate cleanser before things get properly wild, it’s a neat breather that lets the mood simmer while still carrying that sonic punch. It’s a smart bit of pacing and gives the record a real sense of flow.

Lil’ Horse kicks the door back open, a standout moment that feels weirdly euphoric in its disorientation. It doesn’t follow pop rules and reminds me a lot of Car Seat Headrests disregard for musical norms. The structure’s loose, the guitars are noisy as hell, and the track constantly teeters on the edge of collapse. And yet, it works. It really works. Kissing On Camera have this knack for weaving chaos into coherence, pulling you into their world before you even realise it’s happened.

Then comes Voice Actor, and it doesn’t ask for permission. It tears straight into the mix, à la early Sports Team, with chaotic charm and conviction. Rosney’s vocals are right in your face from the off, layered over fuzzy guitars that feel like they’re pulled from five different bands at once. It’s noisy, messy, unpredictable — and absolutely brilliant. Kissing On Camera aren’t following any kind of traditional songwriting map here, and that refusal to play by the rules is exactly what makes this track pop.

And then there’s Just a Kid, the softest moment on the EP and arguably its emotional centrepiece. It strips everything back and lets the songwriting take the spotlight. It’s raw, understated, and beautifully vulnerable, the kind of closer that makes you want to hit repeat immediately, not because you’re finished, but because you want to live in this feeling just a bit longer.

What ties it all together is the honesty. There’s no ego here. No pretence. Just four musicians pouring everything they’ve got into five tracks that document the chaos of moving cities, growing up, and trying to figure out who you are when no one’s watching.

Kissing On Camera aren’t trying to be your new favourite band, but they just might end up that anyway. Baby Names is loud, loose, and emotionally laced in all the right ways. There’s a freedom in how they play, like the songs don’t care what genre they’re supposed to be, or who’s listening, and that’s what makes this debut such a thrill.

With nods from the likes of Stereogum, Dork, So Young and Paste already, and shows lined up with Boston Manor and Outbreak Fest this summer, it’s a good time to get on board. Kissing On Camera are at the start of something here, and it sounds like it’s going to be a beautiful mess.

🩷 One of the best debut EPs of the year so far. File this one under bands we’ll be shouting about for a long time.