Follow Your Dreams

Fast, technical hardcore punk, blended with more experimental edges drawn from post-punk, mathcore and dissonance.

A Manchester-based 4-piece playing fast, aggressive hardcore punk, with an experimental streak that draws on post-punk, no-wave and mathcore influences. Political lyrics, furious drums, odd time signatures and a whole host of effects pedals. Their debut album – ‘The Half-Life of Teaspoons’ – came out in April 2020 on TNSrecords and 5FeetUnder records.

Biography

Follow Your Dreams started some time in 2018 as an instrumental and experimental three-piece featuring Boff (drums), Brendan (bass) and Tom (guitar), all formerly of TNS ska-core band Rising Strike. Kaz Hinsley, friend of Rising Strike and part of the broader TNS/MPF family of volunteers and organisers, expressed a desire to try doing vocals in a band. A band without a singer, and a singer without a band? It worked out pretty well, and Follow Your Dreams started playing live soon after, recording a demo in late 2018 and playing a bunch of gigs and punk festivals including Pie Race and Nice as Pie (Leeds), Manchester Punk Festival, Pumpkin Levy Weekender (Manchester), Book Yer Ane Fest (Dundee), Wotsitcalled Fest (Hastings). 2020 was due to be an exciting year, with the band releasing their debut album – The Half-Life of Teaspoons on TNS and 5FeetUnder records – and a load of gigs lined up in the UK and Denmark, but it was not to be. Post-lockdown, in whatever world is left, Follow Your Dreams will get going again.

Follow Your Dreams write fast, technical hardcore punk, blended with more experimental edges drawn from post-punk, mathcore and dissonance. Kaz’s angry vocals carry political and philosophical lyrics, exploring the horror and absurdity of existing in late capitalism. For more info, see their interview with Shout Louder.

Reviews

“Stylistically Follow Your Dreams blend so many sub genres of abrasive loud-rock, that there simply is not the room to mention them here. That isn’t to say this album is a patchwork, no, Follow Your Dreams are their own entity. With one foot firmly rooted in punk rock, the band exhibit sonic diversity and innovation across every track.” Tonko Jeff

“What can only be described as non conformist music, music that would sit wonderfully on the shelf of not doing what it is supposed to do (will defiantly infuriate the “everything has to be in its place” musicians) and bring joy to the lovers of chaos.” The Punk Site

“If you like blistering noise combined with outrageous experimentalism and multiple time changes then it’s probably right up your street.” IPA Music