Vanderlye – Dystopia Calling (2026)
It’s a very rare occurrence where I’m left scratching my head about a band. Vanderlye have done just that with their new EP Dystopia Calling. I’ve not known a band to produce a record that comes at you from so many different angles. Every song has its own soul and unique DNA, drawing comparisons to such a wide range of bands I personally love, whilst keeping their core identity intact.
Opening with ‘Blackout Sky’, in a way I can only describe as cinematic, it builds with a definite post-rock feel, which is kept going throughout the track. What took me by surprise was when the vocals kicked in; I could not help but think of British synthwave act Gunship, adding to the cinematic aura with a more electro feel, which is interesting as it’s not normally the vocals that you think of when you think of electro. Instantly, I was excited about hearing more from Vanderlye.
What came next surprised me no end: an intro with the post-hardcore sound I’ve spent the last 25 years chasing, a complete change of pace, but I didn’t even get a chance to get excited about the potential of a new post-hardcore when the slackening pace culminated into midwest emo/post-hardcore hybrid akin to one of my favourite bands, American Football. After finishing the EP, I’ve returned to ‘One Way Train’ so many times; it’s a track I’m playing to anyone I can. Honestly, it is one of the best songs I’ve heard this year!
Vanderlye weren’t even close to letting up on the surprises when they weaved into another direction with ‘Step Back’. A bass-heavy and guitar-laden post-punk track with a vocal sound completely different to the 2 previous tracks. Offering a more authentic British post-punk sound from every angle, and surprisingly this exploration of such a wide range of sounds across 3 tracks works perfectly!
Rounding this short EP off is ‘There Must Be a Way Out’, yet another great track, cinematic in feel but with lyricism that really has the listener lost in the narrative. I feel that they’ve used ‘There Must Be a Way Out’ to combine all the things that made the previous tracks stand out, making a truly fantastic song. The introduction of dual vocals is a revelation and just adds to the layers of this fantastic act.
My final words on Vanderlye and Dystopia Calling are simply seek them out, listen to them, share them and support this great band, as I’m going to whilst I wait for more from them!
Find out more about Vanderlye on their Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
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