Today, rapidly ascending four-piece unpeople announce their unifying, genre-spanning debut album "we are unpeople" - out October 9th on SharpTone Records - which takes the philosophy behind the band's name and turns it into a powerful, uncompromising statement of intent.
The announcement is accompanied by brand new single "friends" - listen here.
“‘friends’ is essentially a love song from the perspective of someone who is wholly sceptical about the very concept of love and what it’s come to mean in a modern context” explains vocalist Jake Crawford. “I am essentially saying I am going to kill the very concept of love before it’s even had a chance to get a hold of me - I am that afraid of being that vulnerable. I'd rather not bother than risk saying something I don’t mean, and then pay for it emotionally down the line. I’m fully aware that this is not necessarily healthy, but the mind takes you to some strange places when strong feelings are involved.”
A seamless ability to connect across boundaries and conjure communal spirit, sits at the very heart of this debut album. Built upon massive choruses, four-part vocal harmonies and unabated heaviness, "we are unpeople" captures a band whose ambition is matched by their belief in the power of music to unite people.
With stadium-busting choruses, to 00’s Reuben-esque mega riffs and the stunningly unpredictable eccentricity of System Of A Down, the album is colourful and joyous, yet aggressive and intense, having already spawned infectious tasters that include ‘clouds’, ‘the garden’ & ‘waste’.
Comprised of Jake Crawford, Luke Caley, Em Lodge & Richard Rayner, unpeople have quickly established themselves as one of the UK's most exciting new alternative bands, earning themselves a reputation for creating music that feels equally at home on the biggest rock stages and the heaviest festival bills - having fittingly been described as the lightest band at Bloodstock, and the heaviest band at Kendal Calling - finding themselves equally at home in both settings.
Originally used to describe those considered politically unimportant or without value, the term "unpeople" has since become another way to dismiss those whose views differ from our own. The band have reclaimed the phrase entirely, transforming it into a celebration of shared humanity, individuality and belonging.
Since forming in 2023, that approach has seen unpeople rise at remarkable speed, with Kerrang! hailing them as "one of alternative music's best new bands". Live, they've opened for Metallica in Vienna, shared bills with Smashing Pumpkins and Coheed & Cambria, drawn huge crowds at 2000trees, and will a perform a landmark Main Stage-opening set at Download Festival this weekend - as well as appearances at Reading & Leeds Festival, Copenhell, Hurricane, Southside & many more this summer.
The rest of 2026 and beyond is there for the taking for a band rapidly on the ascension. “‘we are unpeople’ is released into the world on October 9th and we couldn’t be more proud of it”, say the band. “We collectively put our absolute everything into it and we can’t wait to share it with you all!
UNPEOPLE LIVE:
6/10–6/14 — Hradec Králové, CZ — Rock For People
6/11–6/13 — Interlaken, CH — Greenfield Festival
6/14 — Donington, UK — Download Festival
6/19–6/21 — Scheeßel, DE — Hurricane Festival
6/19–6/21 — Neuhausen ob Eck, DE — Southside Festival
6/25–6/27 — Ysselsteyn, NL — Jera On Air
6/27 — Copenhagen, DK — Copenhell
7/17–7/18 — Joensuu, FI — Ilosaarirock
7/31–8/2 — Manchester, UK — Radar Festival
8/27–8/30 — Reading & Leeds Festival — UK
9/3 — Torquay, UK — The Foundry
"we are unpeople" tracklisting:
1. clouds
2. friends
3. the garden
4. swallow
5. bottle it
6. blueprints
7. haunted
8. waste
9. look up
10. kangareuben
11. smother
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