On the Rise
VLURE

The Glaswegian group have yet to find a better way to sum up the giddy, euphoric atmosphere that dominates their gigs. “There’s a level of abandonment to our shows. We leave everything up there,” explains guitarist Conor Goldie, with those in the crowd quickly following suit. “It’s just so cathartic,” adds vocalist Hamish Hutcheson. “Being around a load of people who are all there for the same reason, at the same moment in time, is brilliant. “

Wrapping an abrasive post-punk snarl around soaring dance music, Goldie reckons VLURE were perhaps a tough sell to begin with. Formed from the ashes of various other projects in the Glaswegian music scene, Hamish, Conor, guitarist Niall Goldie, drummer Carlo and synth player Alex Pearson, all brought their own individual tastes to the band. “We feed off of each other’s passions,” says Goldie. “We bonded over the idea of doing something exciting. We wanted to do something that felt freeing.” Their first release was the brooding post-punk hammer of “Desire”, which came out in 2019 after the band had played just a handful of live shows, but VLURE quickly set themselves apart from the rest of the scene as they evolved to include ‘90s dance, ‘80s goth and whatever else sparked something within them.

Despite post-punk blossoming and becoming a comfortable part of the mainstream over the past few years, VLURE have never been fussed about following trends. ”It's always just felt really fun toying with different stuff,” Goldie offers. ”VLURE have become this disownment of genre, which might makes us difficult to understand on paper,” but live, it couldn’t be more captivating.

“Playing live is everything,” starts Hutcheson. “We met at shows and parties in Glasgow, so it made sense to build this band around the buzz of playing live.” Stepping on stage still fills the band with a rush of adrenaline and in the studio, they’re constantly asking how new music will elevate their already brilliant live show.

“We stuck to our guns, and now we’re finding crowds of people who get something from that, wherever we go,” Goldie continues, with the band fresh from a sellout headline show at London’s iconic 100 Club. VLURE have also dominated appearances at Glastonbury, The Great Escape and SXSW this year, toured Europe three times and played countless gigs around the UK. “It’s been a big step up,” explains Hutcheson, days before the band play their biggest hometown headline show at SWG3. “We don’t often look back, but it has been an amazing year.”

Still, VLURE never felt uncomfortable as the stages and the reach have increased. “Since I was a kid, all I’ve ever wanted to do was play Glastonbury,” admits Goldie. “it was an incredible experience but it never felt like we weren’t supposed to be there. We always knew what we were doing was important to us, and we put faith in the fact that it would resonate with other people.“

VLURE are capping off their biggest year yet with the Heaven Sent EP. Building on the foundations of 2022’s Euphoria EP, the five tracks of Heaven Sent are rugged, sprawling and undeniably catchy, delivering the magical urgency of a VLURE live show while also pushing things forward. According to the band, they all started off as dance-inspired instrumentals before they were taken into the live space and pulled apart. “It felt like the shackles were off,” says Goldie, with the band’s confidence bolstered by bigger, more chaotic gigs. “We weren’t holding ourselves accountable to anything but what felt exciting,” he adds.

That sense of freedom rages through the lyrics as well. “Each song has its own story, but it’s got a lot to do with reflecting on where you’ve come from, and finding power in how you can move forward,” explains Hutcheson. The shiny “This Fantasy” starts angry and frustrated, but ends with the realization that “you don’t need to follow the same path as other people. You can find your own way,” adds Hutcheson while soaring trance number “This Is Not The End” is an anthem for fighting back, written in a moment of defiance. “Honestly resonates,” he continues. “And our music couldn’t be more honest.”

The gigs might be getting bigger but the band’s ego remains unchanged. “We’ve always had the grandest of ambitions, but we’ve never had any expectations,” Goldie tells me. “We’ve always been really conscious of not putting ourselves on any form of podium. Yes, we stand on stage but the shows are really not about us. It’s about the energy in the room.” The band are at their happiest when they can see other people getting lost in the moment with them. “It’s about creating a space where everyone can forget about what’s going on in their lives. Live music is meant to be an escape. It’s about getting in touch with what makes you excited about life.”

As big as 2023 has been for VLURE, the group are ready to make 2024 even bigger. They’re working on new music, but don’t want to give too much away. Things have a habit of quickly changing when the band gets into the studio afterall. “We’re always looking to continually evolve,” says Hamish. “We don’t want to stand still. The sky's the limit really and the only people that can stop us are us.”

“The mantra is to just keep following what excites us,” adds Goldie. “We've figured out the DNA of VLURE now so we can play with other things that excite us, without losing what makes this band special.”

And what makes VLURE so special is their ability to transport their audience elsewhere. “Life is undeniably difficult at the moment. If what we're doing by putting ourselves out there can provide a space that makes people feel like they can forget about that, then we're doing what we set out to do,” Goldie continues. “We just want to provide an escape from all the things that we have to endure and hopefully find some moments of bliss.”