“Unhinged pop that is both infectious and confrontational”
CLASH Magazine
South London sibling duo PUNCHBAG today announce their debut EP ‘I’m Not Your Punchbag’ – out 2 May 2025 via Mute.
The EP’s title track ‘I’m Not Your Punchbag’ is a combative cut of razor-sharp pop that offers a message of defiance. “It comes from a ‘harmless’ small remark made to me at a dinner table once that really cut deep,” says Clara. “From this small seed, if you like, the song grew into a kind of anthem for fighting back – a refusal to let people dump their shit on you.”
It was after writing it that they realised that PUNCHBAG made a good band name. “This song helps explain the band name and our ethos,” Clara continues. “It’s something to scream along to; a perfect therapy. ‘Don’t take it out on me, bitch!’”
Swinging between dizzying extremes, where unapologetically sugar-sweet pop hooks clash with radical leftfield production, PUNCHBAG (consisting of Clara and Anders Bach) are a compelling proposition.
Whispers of PUNCHBAG’s knock-out live performances have been growing in volume since they played their first show in the spring of 2024. Colliding the raw unfiltered energy of punk with the overflowing ecstasy of pop, from the off they demonstrated an uncanny skill for commanding a crowd. “We take it seriously,” says Clara. “We’ve thought about it a lot, and it was important that from the first time we performed it was fully formed. We’re Virgos. We’re perfectionists.”
This steeliness is paired with a chaotic stage presence, defined by improvisatory dance moves and an infectious energy. “At the end of the set, I just scream until everyone’s jumping,” she says. “We want it to be cathartic, but also really joyful. Joy is one of the things that you can’t really argue with, it’s not an opinion – you can either get involved or not.”
“We’d rather someone had a strong adverse reaction to our music than it be just played in the background,” says Anders. He needn’t worry, of course – PUNCHBAG’s chaotic and utterly cathartic forthcoming debut EP is guaranteed to grab attention.
PUNCHBAG play Ritual Union Festival in Bristol on 29 March before playing The Great Escape in May. Follow PUNCHBAG on Instagram for news of more live shows in the coming months.
PUNCHBAG’s debut EP I’m Not Your Punchbag is out on 2 May 2025 on Mute.
‘I’m Not Your Punchbag’ tracklist
- Fuck It
- I’m Not Your Punchbag
- Pretty Youtha
- You Used To Be So Sexy
LIVE DATES (info / tickets)
- 29 March – Bristol, Ritual Union Festival
- 15-16 May – Brighton, The Great Escape Festival
- 24 May – The Hague (NL), Sniester Festival
- 14 June – Bergen (NO), Bergenfest
- 17 July – Kristiansand (NO), Ravnedalen Festival
- 19 July – Nordfjordeid (NO) Malakoff Festival
- 15-16 Aug – Trondheim (NO), Pstereo Festival
- 29 Aug – Tromsø (NO), Rakettnatt Festival
