Flipping awesome! Northampton’s thistle. continue building their identity with backflip, a six-song EP that finds the young trio balancing dreamy shoegaze textures with fuzzy noise-pop, alternative rock, indie melodies, and occasional bursts of grunge-inspired heaviness.

Formed in 2023, thistle. feature Cameron Godfrey on vocals and guitar, Carey Judwyn Rushton on vocals, guitar, and bass, and Lewis O’Grady on drums. Following their 2025 release it’s nice to see you, stranger, backflip shows a band becoming increasingly confident in their ability to move between intimate songwriting and enormous walls of distorted sound.

From the opening moments of “pieces,” the band immediately establish the EP’s defining contrast. Shimmering guitars and layers of fuzz sit alongside a deep, warm bass tone, while the drums initially arrive with considerable force before retreating into a more restrained arrangement. Acoustic guitar and softer vocals create a striking change in atmosphere, allowing the song to move naturally between heavy alternative rock and delicate indie passages.

The closing build of “pieces” is particularly effective, eventually erupting into huge distorted vocals that give the track an emotional climax. The dense layering occasionally pushes the production toward saturation, but the hooks remain strong enough to cut through the haze.

“pylon” continues that formula with another excellent balance of melody and atmosphere. The bass once again plays a major role, providing a fuzzy and substantial low end beneath relatively simple drumming. The guitars have a light, stringy quality that works beautifully against the washed-out vocals, while acoustic and electric guitar layers blend together to create a gradual sense of movement.

“backflip in slow motion” provides a short atmospheric interlude between the two halves of the EP. Spacey guitars, soft percussion, and subtle maracas create a hazy moment of breathing room. It doesn't overstay its welcome, functioning more as a transition than a standalone centerpiece.

The energy picks back up on “tied,” where upbeat washed-out guitars and steady drumming create one of the EP’s more immediately infectious grooves. The bass remains thick underneath the arrangement while restrained vocals and airy background textures preserve the dreamy aesthetic. It is a simple song structurally, but the combination of melody and atmosphere makes it highly effective.

“mean eye” is another highlight, introducing more grunge influence alongside the band’s indie and shoegaze foundations. Distorted guitar riffs bounce against more playful strumming, creating a constantly shifting arrangement that avoids becoming predictable. The rhythm section keeps everything grounded, while the punchy bass tone gets some of its best moments on the entire EP.

The closing track, “city, name,” leaves perhaps the strongest impression. Large, stringy guitars and an exceptionally warm bass performance give the song a substantial foundation, while the understated drums allow the airy vocals and expansive guitar textures to take center stage. The gentle “ohh” harmonies add another layer of emotional weight, helping the song achieve the delicate balance between heaviness and vulnerability that defines thistle.’s best material.

What makes backflip so effective is the band's understanding of dynamics. thistle. aren't afraid to let songs become quiet, intimate, and vulnerable before allowing the distortion to return. The contrast makes their heavier moments feel significantly larger, while the softer passages never feel like filler.

The EP's biggest strength may actually be its bass work. Across “pieces,” “pylon,” “tied,” “mean eye,” and “city, name,” the low end consistently gives the songs warmth and physical weight beneath the fuzz and reverb. That rhythm-section foundation allows the guitars to remain atmospheric without making the entire EP feel weightless.

At 8.5/10, backflip is an impressive step forward for thistle. While the dense production occasionally comes close to becoming oversaturated, the memorable melodies, emotional performances, fuzzy guitars, and thoughtful arrangements make this an easy recommendation for fans of modern shoegaze and alternative music.

thistle. may still be an emerging band, but backflip demonstrates that they already understand how to create a sound that feels both nostalgic and contemporary. For listeners into shoegaze, noise-pop, dreamy alternative rock, grunge, and emotionally driven indie, this is a band worth keeping an eye on.