‘brat summer’ is the latest release from East London country slackers vegas water taxi. It’s a stomper of a track, bringing together country and indie influences in powerful, wryly comedic fashion. “I’d recently re-read 1984, and set myself the challenge of trying to write a near future dystopia in a song, particularly in relation to the state of the USA," explains frontman Ben Hambro. "It imagines a world where people who had no participated in the/a brat summer where being rounded up by the police, whilst the only things on the radio are Call Her Daddy and The Joe Rogan Podcast. It ends with the protagonist and Matty Healy setting fire to LA. Easy listening stuff.” The band are gearing up to release their new EP, first time listener, on February 6th, 2026, before combining it with their previous EP, long time caller, into a full-length vinyl album on the same day. -Dan Peeke