Previously known as ‘Bones’, alternative Liverpool quartet morningstar have released their debut EP, ‘CHROME’, following a run of single releases and a prominent rebrand full of dark, atmospheric visuals reminiscent of heavier and metal bands’ concepts. Visually, it reminds me particularly of Thornhill, but sonically, morningstar lean more towards the newer grunge/indie sound currently emerging in the UK scene – think Basht, Bleech 9:3 and Gurriers – while adding their own twist of synthy sounds and trap-influenced production.
The five-track EP kicks off with an atmospheric tone on ‘show me’, a song packed full of reverbed, chorusy guitar melodies and strikes intertwining throughout. There’s something reminiscent of The Cure’s guitar sound here, but with newer indie-grunge influences reflecting the current scene. The chorus is heavily bass-driven, with Sonny Setz providing a firm low end that compliments Jake Lysaght’s raw, borderline raspy vocals and, of course, that unapologetically Scouse accent.
After the first full chorus, the bass drops out in the second verse, removing much of that low end and thinning the track out, leaving a simple drum beat from Liam Egerton and reverbed guitar melody to breathe underneath Lysaght’s vocals, which are now clear and centre stage.
There’s an interesting delayed effect on the guitar, adding some versatility to the second verse, before that full, atmospheric chorus kicks back in. A built-up bridge showcases Lysaght’s range, with some higher notes complementing his raspy voice, before the track closes out with one final chorus. A telephone-esque high pass filter effect appears on the vocals, something also heard in the intro and on some backing vocals throughout.
The mix feels intentionally distant and spacious, with the focus sitting more heavily on the guitars and bass. Even the cymbal work feels slightly removed, adding to that atmospheric quality.
‘out to dry’ is a completely different track. It kicks off with a distant, upbeat, cleaner guitar riff and is already much jumpier and faster, immediately feeling less sombre than the opener. It showcases the band’s creative versatility and ability to shift between genres without being trapped in one ‘genre-jail’, while still maintaining that distinct morningstar sound.
For me, this one is quite reminiscent of newer indie-grunge bands such as Basht, Gurriers and Bleech 9:3. Liam Egerton’s drums feel much clearer and brighter in the mix here, while Setz’s bassline sits higher too, particularly in the verses, where it has a sound that reflects Joy Division. There’s a consistent tambourine or shaker effect throughout; it’s very subtle, but it helps glue the track together, becoming more noticeable during the instrumental sections.
The band use a similar structure to the first track, with the verses being less full before opening up into those bigger choruses. In this one particularly, the bass is the main event in the verses, with a very catchy groove and muddy chorus effect reminiscent of an ’80s sound, again bringing The Cure and Joy Division to mind.
Lysaght’s vocals are clearer on this one, contributing to the song feeling less subdued than the previous track. The bridge features a more complex drum beat from Egerton, paired with an off-beat, callback-style stabby guitar part from Joe Mutch, reminding me of early 2000s Bloc Party. There’s also a drone guitar running throughout, acting almost as a backbone for the track.
I’d consider the third track, ‘closed doors’, more of an instrumental interlude, linking the first half of the EP to the second. Built on ambient synth-string sounds with an eerie piano, we’re brought back to the atmosphere the EP kicked off with. As with every track, it’s full of reverb and transitions perfectly into track four, ‘heart of steel’, with a rising drum beat that gradually increases in volume and clarity before opening up into a powerful hit.
Personally, ‘heart of steel’ has to be my new discovery track of the year. Lysaght’s Scouse accent is definitely the most prominent on this track, which I absolutely love. He leans more towards rapping than singing here – think EsDeeKid combined with Thornhill. From the beginning, there’s a far more synthy, programmed sound to the song, almost edging towards a rap sound.
It’s a production technique we’re seeing far more often, though it’s usually metal or heavier bands leaning into it – President and Thornhill being two examples. This time, though, we have an indie-grunge UK band doing it.
It’s still mostly built around the band’s instruments, but there are loads of different effects being thrown into the mix, with Morningstar clearly messing around with their sound and seeing how far they can push it. In the second verse, Lysaght catches a quicker flow, accompanied by a faster, more programmed-sounding drum beat and 808 bass. A low-pass filter on his vocals makes them sound distant, but it works with the rest of the track’s texture rather than taking away from it.
There’s a consistent piano-synth melody throughout alongside that same atmospheric, reverbed guitar line. The vocals aren’t as clear as they were on the previous tracks, but again, this works in favour of the atmosphere, creating that grungy feeling that runs through the song.
‘Moth’ is the fifth and closing track of the EP and, similarly to ‘out to dry’, is another new song. It circles back to that atmospheric, The Cure-esque slower guitar line, almost sounding like a baritone guitar. Lysaght has gone back to singing here, with plenty of notes showcasing his vocal capabilities and flexibility after the much more rap-influenced performance on ‘heart of steel’.
This track feels far brighter and cleaner, with fewer effects and samples in the background. There’s also a higher, possibly female additional vocal complementing Lysaght’s vocals, adding a softer texture. Sonny Setz’s consistent Joy Division-esque bass tone is back too.
This track is most reminiscent of ‘show me’, the opening track, leaning into an indie sound with more natural-sounding instruments rather than the synth-heavy, programmed approach we heard on track four. But that’s exactly what makes this EP interesting. It isn’t flat or stuck within one genre; it peaks and troughs in energy, sounds and influences, keeping the listener engaged rather than becoming repetitive.
In the bridge, each instrument gets its own moment in the spotlight, with everything sounding clear and bright while that grungy, fuzzy feel continues throughout. The prominent cymbal work helps perfectly close out the EP, circling back to the original atmosphere after a tumultuous journey of shifting and bending between different sounds and genres.
From grunge to ambient, indie to rap, morningstar have managed to capture all of it in just five tracks. Being a newer band on a scene that now feels very heavily populated, particularly in the North, Morningstar are 100% a standout. There’s something special about them, from their sound, concepts and visuals to their production and willingness to bend genres. Their debut EP showcases the musical abilities of all four members, with Jake Lysaght, Joe Mutch, Sonny Setz and Liam Egerton each contributing to a sound that can bounce between styles while still maintaining that prominent morningstar feel.
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