Artist Spotlight: gaggle.

Taking the world by storm

By Agni Bandyopadhyay

If you've been anywhere near Sheffield’s grassroots gigs lately, chances are you’ve caught wind of gaggle.. The five-piece indie band are turning heads, slinging hook-laden riffs, and rolling into venue green rooms accompanied by Bernie, their iconic goose mascot.

With their new album ‘A Glass Half Drunk’ on the horizon, we caught up with the co-founder and bassist/guitarist, Dan, to break down schoolyard origins, their unique studio workflows, and how recording at Hybrid 3 helped turn their raw ideas into refined anthems.

From Secondary School to the Sheffield Circuit

While gaggle. officially burst onto the scene in 2024, the foundation of the band goes way back. Dan and Ed’s musical partnership began years ago on the school grounds of Middlesbrough.

"Ed and I were actually in a band together as teenagers," Dan explains. "Fast forward a few years: Ed moved to Sheffield after finishing uni in York, keen to get a new project rolling. Meanwhile, I was involved with the Music Players Society at university."

The missing pieces eventually fell into place through a bit of local networking. A mutual drummer friend, Kit, casually mentioned to guitarist Will that Dan wasn't currently attached to a group.

"Will's instant reaction was, 'Huh, I should change that,'" Dan recalls. "He reached out, we brought Jonah and James into the fold, and Ed brought along a couple of completed tracks he’d already written, one of which turned out to be our current single, 'stupid kid.'"

Dissecting the band’s Sound

Musically, Gaggle. operates in a sweet spot between raw emo sentimentality and explosive indie rock. While songwriter Ed personally listens to classic storytellers like Paul Simon, Billy Joel, and The Beatles, gaggle.’s actual sonic DNA draws from a much rowdier mix: pop-punk from his brother, classic rock from his dad, and an "unhealthy sprinkling of midwest emo."

Live, they channel the high-octane energy of acts like Weezer and The Wombats. When it comes to turning raw ideas into polished tracks, the band relies on a streamlined, highly focused process.

"Ed sits down for about three hours and makes a complete demo with every instrument on it in some form - vocals, backing tracks, drum loops," says Dan.

"Then he sends it to me, and we get together to hash out ideas on how to improve or adjust it. Once Ed updates the demo, we bring it to the rest of the band where everyone fleshes out their own parts into the final version."

Narrative Storytelling: "stupid kid." and Beyond

Their latest release, "stupid kid.", gives listeners their first taste of what’s to come on their upcoming full-length concept album, A Glass Half Drunk.

Boasting a fun, boppy groove and a Mom Jeans-inspired midwest emo guitar riff, the single is more than just a catchy track, it introduces an overarching narrative about navigating youth.

"It’s the first introduction to the album being more than just a collection of songs, but a cohesive story," Dan shares. "It’s about a series of mistakes that made me who I am today. The B-side, 'Stay with me', continues that same arc, exploring that desperate feeling of wanting to get back together after a breakup."

Finding Their Home at Hybrid 3

When asked what makes the studio setup at Hybrid 3 click so well for gaggle., Dan doesn't hesitate to give credit where it's due.

"Johnny. Without a shadow of a doubt-he's an amazing producer, and we gelled really well with him. The studio itself is incredible and professional."

Having heard horror stories from other local bands about ad-hoc production setups, the polished environment at Hybrid 3 allowed gaggle. to step up their game and experiment freely. In fact, a standout hook on their new single was created right in the room:

"The lead guitar part in the chorus for 'stupid kid.' was only created during the studio session itself," Dan reveals. "We wouldn't have been able to pull that part out had we been in a lesser environment."

Favourite Studio Moments

From watching James lay down intricate guitar solos to hearing their first tracks come alive, recording at Hybrid 3 has yielded plenty of memorable core memories for the group.

"Watching James do his solos is always impressive-it’s amazing to hear just how good those really are," Dan reflects. "But when we were recording 'Lost at Sea', all of us piled into the control room to listen. Hearing it all come together for the first time really affirmed that we were making something bigger than any single one of us. It made us feel like a real band-like we had something truly special."

Stream "stupid kid." and "stay with me" on all major platforms now, and keep an eye out for gaggle.’s debut album, A Glass Half Drunk, dropping later this year.