It is late May in Brighton, and the atmosphere at The Great Escape Festival is electric. While many attendees are tempted by the allure of sunny, beachside pints, a dedicated crowd has gathered at the Green Door Store, eager to witness the next big thing in music. London-based risers Saint Clair have packed the venue, delivering a sound that feels simultaneously timeless and incredibly fresh. With hazy distortion and subtle punk sensibilities, the band has drawn comparisons to legends like Radiohead and Pixies, yet they possess a distinct spirit that marks them as potential torchbearers for a new generation of alternative music.
That creative mantra has now arrived in full form on their debut EP, Something to be Said. The record masterfully pits intimate tales of fledgling romances and the universal ache of growing pains against the band’s own beguiling, atmospheric sonics. It feels like only a matter of time before Saint Clair transcends the intimate club circuit for much larger stages.
Defining the Saint Clair Sound
Reflecting on their recent performance in Brighton, guitarist and vocalist Toby Bardsley describes the show as a “flag in the sand” for the band. “We’ve been pushing for a good spot there, and we knew it was going to be a moment where people could really see us and get the vision we’re trying to put across,” Bardsley explains. “Things couldn’t have gone any better.”
For bassist Adam Anderson, the debut EP serves as a manifesto for the band’s identity. “They’re all quite different, but they have a distinct Saint Clair twist on them, and there’s an underlying theme of familiarity and a bit of nostalgia,” Anderson notes. “I want people to listen to it and truly relate to the themes of the songs. It feels ethereal, but also nostalgic—like you’re looking back at your childhood. You can’t go back there, but you can remember how you felt at those times.”
A Collaborative Journey
The band’s creative process is deeply collaborative, ensuring that while the stories often originate from Bardsley, they are filtered through the collective lens of the group. Guitarist Lawrence Bordean emphasizes the importance of this shared vision. “Toby has always asked, ‘How does this represent us?’ They have a sense of ‘Toby-ism’ to them, be it the melodies he uses, but they all sit nicely together, and that’s why we selected them for this first body of work.”
Drummer Beth Diana points to the diverse musical backgrounds that inform their sound, noting, “I was raised on quite a lot of heavy music, like Metallica and Deftones, and a lot of hip-hop as well.” This eclectic foundation allows the band to experiment with their instrumentation. As Bordean explains, they are not afraid to break the mold of a traditional guitar band. “We’re a guitar band, but we won’t be afraid to put a tiny bit of piano in a song alongside my guitar. If you look at a lot of the alternative acts of the 90s, people started to reinvent themselves and push the boundaries of the sound so you’re not put in a box.”
As they look toward the future, the band remains focused on growth and connection. Whether they are writing guitar-driven anthems or stripped-back ballads, Saint Clair is clearly just at the beginning of a compelling musical journey.