Introducing: Oral Habit

Brighton’s fuzzed-out firestarters Oral Habit rip the lid off with debut EP Garage Frock! — a ten-minute trip of garage psych mayhem that’s as wired as it is wildly assured. Out 11th July via cult label Sour Grapes on 7” vinyl and limited cassette, the trio mark the release with the title track — a howling, feedback-laced barrage that cements their reputation as one of the UK’s most adrenalised new live acts. With a string of in-stores and a headline tour locked for September, we caught up with the band to talk instinct, identity, and the beautifully chaotic birth of Garage Frock!.

1. Your new single "Garage Frock" hits with a raw, zero-inhibition energy that recalls bands like Osees and Jack White. What does that title mean to you, and how does it set the tone for the EP as a whole?

It was written in that way, the kind of riff that falls out of the amp onto the floor with a sleazy swagger. As far as the title ‘Garage Frock', that came to me much later, but I knew the song had to open the EP, with its roaring childish simplicity. Almost falling over itself before getting to your ear

2. Following your previous single "Sauerkraut," which had its own playful, punny edge, it feels like Oral Habit thrives on pairing humor with noise. How important is wit in your songwriting process—or is it just part of who you are as a band?

The band has always had an absurd humour sense of humour, if we aren’t playing music we are probably watching 'I Think you Should Leave' or 'Tim & Eric' sketches then regurgitating lines. I take pride in not taking my music too seriously, if I did nothing would get done.

3. You're releasing the EP through Sour Grapes on a limited-edition cassette. What drew you to that label and format? Does the physical release carry any special meaning in today’s digital-heavy music scene?

We originally got asked to play a show for them last September at Big Hands Bar, they are definitely into cassettes a lot more than us, so that is more to do with them, I just sent the artwork and tracks over. Other than that we pressed the EP onto 7” ourselves, that was a big stepping stone for myself and something I really wanted to do. I love vinyl and there is something so exciting about holding a physical record that never gets old.

4. You’ve had early support from Rough Trade, Deb Grant, and a handful of tastemakers already—how’s it felt watching this wave of momentum build, and how do you keep that raw DIY spirit alive as things scale up?

Honestly I’m not sure, I have this feeling that as long as we stick to our guns, the people who dig it - dig it, and those that don’t - don’t. Keeping the overheads low and trying to create a work ethic that is sustainable is important for me, I’m not planning on going anywhere and as long as we can play write and record there will be some incarnation of Oral Habit. 

5. With a headline tour and in-store dates set for September, how do you translate the chaos and electricity of your recorded sound into a live setting? What should someone expect at an Oral Habit show—besides ringing ears?

Lots and lots of practice, we rehearse at least 12 hours a week in the run up to shows, usually into the early hours before getting up for our day jobs a few hours later. We become a well oiled machine so that the night of the show we can musically dance around the setlist, getting weird or just charging through the songs. We are definitely loud so bring your earplugs!