Lost, found and mutating again
On the 7–8 November, Brighton once again became the UK’s capital of underground sound as Mutations Festival 2025 brought nearly 100 different bands/artists to nine grassroots venues across the city. By giving the same stage to the unknown as well as to the acclaimed, Mutations Festival reaffirmed why it’s one of the UK’s most vital celebrations of new music – a place where discovery is the epicentre.
I ventured alone. None of my friends bought tickets – they only cared about one or two bands. Amateurs. That’s like going to Lewes Bonfire Night just to wave a sparkler around. They missed the whole point. Feeling like a one-man Marco Polo expedition armed with nothing but a Notes app scribbled with set times, I drifted between venues, chasing whatever noise called loudest.
On Friday, I felt like I was crossing continents: Party Dozen’s volcanic drums and sax in Sydney, Upchuck’s snarling Atlanta punk at Revenge, Teke::Teke’s psychedelic Jap-surf spectacle from Montreal, then Ditz bringing it home in a wall of Brighton-bred noise.
One thing you should know about Mutations is the clashes – you must be prepared to become Abraham and choose your Isaac. On Friday, my dreaded clash meant choosing between local favourites The Sick Man of Europe or London’s MADMADMAD. In the spirit of Mutations, I chose the unknown – and was rewarded with chaos and transcendence. Within minutes, MADMADMAD turned Dust into a communal seizure of rhythm, sweat and cowbell – unforgettable.
On Saturday morning, I woke like Tom Hanks in Cast Away – one sock missing, salt-damp, dazed from the adrenaline crash. Another full day of Mutations loomed like a cold plunge. I jumped anyway. My Saturday standouts were Ebbb at Patterns and Lynks at Revenge. Ebbb took away my woes with awe-inspiring choral vocals and experimental soundscapes. Lynks gave possibly the best performance of the festival, with thumping queer industrial sounds and catchy lyrics, combined with sexy dance choreography and hilarious crowd interaction. I couldn’t have imagined a better headliner for Revenge or a better way to end an exhilarating weekend in Brighton.
