Live & In-Print at Rough Trade Nottingham

ULRIKA SPACEK
After nearly five years away, Ulrika Spacek return with Compact Trauma, their third album, shaped by personal and collective upheaval. Initially conceived in 2018 after relentless touring, the album faced major setbacks, including the loss of their Homerton studio (KEN) to gentrification and internal tensions. Recording moved to a professional studio, but progress stalled, and when the pandemic hit, the project was shelved.

When the band revisited the material post-lockdowns, they found its themes—existential dread, displacement, and self-doubt—resonated even more deeply. Songs like The Sheer Drop, Lounge Angst, and If The Wheels Are Coming Off, The Wheels Are Coming Off channel anxiety through unconventional structures and cathartic release. The title track, shifting from frantic energy to ominous calm, encapsulates the record’s raw, unfiltered emotion. Compact Trauma is both a reflection of past struggles and a triumphant return, proving to be Ulrika Spacek’s most compelling work yet.

VICTORY LAP
Victory Lap are a noir-infused five-piece heralding from Nottingham. A melting pot of era-bending golden age sounds, as interpreted from a 21st century perspective of music and film, alluding to the romanticised nostalgia of pick and mix culture. They cite a broad range of influences from Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Nick Cave & The Last Shadow Puppets to films such as Casablanca.

PYNCHER
Pyncher are a high-energy, genre-blurring quartet from Manchester, quickly establishing themselves as one of the UK’s most electrifying acts. The band—Sam Blakeley (vocals/guitar), Harvey O’Toole (lead guitar), Jack Rainbow (drums), and Britt Dewhurst (bass)—are more than just a group of musicians; they’re a tight-knit family. Best friends since childhood, with Jack and Sam knowing each other since before they could walk, their unbreakable bond infuses every note they play, both in the studio and on stage.

DJ’s
Sprawl Collective
A Selection of DJ’s from collaborators within the magazine.