Scottish five-piece Duck Wax share the vibrant new single ‘Haircuts’.
Immediately captures attention with a solitary guitar melody before bursting into a vibrant mix of punk attitude and funky grooves, the track carries a 70’s aura with a modern flair. Dynamic electric guitar riffs, rich saxophone honks, and a grooving rhythm section provide the foundation for a gritty, performative lead vocal. The result is a charming atmosphere with anthemic energy that lingers long after the final bass note fades.
In explaining the creation of ‘Haircuts’, the band shared, “We set a target of writing a song that treads the balance of punk and funk, the two genres that we draw a lot of inspiration from at separate points. Our guitarist, Hector, had the song formatted and structured before he brought it to the rest of us, with all the lyrics too. When playing it together, he was very firm on stopping anyone from trying to play any fills or flourishes as we tried to work out our parts. His aim from this was to get everyone to really feel the rhythm of this song, and then work backwards from there. It was a new approach to writing that we hadn’t tried before, and it all really paid off. We were then able to find the spaces/gaps for fills a lot easier, and keep the drive of the song going.”
The track was recorded in their homemade studio in Scotland, marking the third year the band has journeyed there to record. Each trip to Scotland represents a conscious effort to build on past techniques and improve their sound. This time, they moved away from their usual “everyone in the room” live-style recording and instead recorded each instrument in stages. This new method provided greater clarity in the takes, resulting in a superior production quality compared to their previous releases. Despite the extra time it required, the band believes the enhanced sound was well worth the effort.
Duck Wax, composed of twin brothers and close friends, features two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, and a saxophonist, with three members sharing lead vocal duties. The band’s origin story is rooted in the twins’ creation of a makeshift studio in their Scotland family home, where they gathered a variety of musicians. This collaborative effort soon evolved into Duck Wax.
Their genre-bending sound has electrified sold-out shows across London, with performances at venues such as The Windmill, MOTH CLUB, and Jaguar Shoes Collectives. Their most ambitious gig to date was a packed show at Hackney’s Oslo to celebrate the release of ‘Blue Tiles, White Tiles’, firmly establishing Duck Wax as a local must-see. With their endlessly fun rock-funk fusion and soft edge, Duck Wax has the power to define a night.
‘Haircuts’ is more than just a single; it’s a testament to Duck Wax’s innovative approach to music-making and their relentless pursuit of a sound that is both unique and captivating.
Listen below:
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