London’s alternative scene has a compelling new fixture in Cusk, who have officially released their much-anticipated debut single, “Blu Tac Piano.” The track, already a staple of their live sets, serves as a brooding and evocative introduction to the duo, comprised of Esmé Creed-Miles and Evie Hilyer-Ziegler. Meeting at an improvisation night at the Shacklewell Arms, the pair quickly formed a creative partnership built on raw emotional honesty and an intuitive, exploratory approach to songwriting.
“Blu Tac Piano” arrives as the second release from The Bird, a fresh tastemaker label founded by Charlie Wayne (Black Country, New Road) and Mita De (formerly of Ninja Tune and Brownswood). The label, which launched earlier this year with an acclaimed EP from Ninush, appears to be carving out a niche for experimental, boundary-pushing talent. For Cusk, the release follows two years of steady growth on the London circuit, including high-profile support slots for the likes of DIIV and Geordie Greep, and a debut performance at Brixton’s legendary Windmill.
The duo’s sound is defined by a captivating tension: Hilyer-Ziegler’s precise, melodic strings and ethereal vocals contrast with Creed-Miles’ loose rhythm guitar and androgynous lyricism. This interplay creates a spectrum of sound that moves fluidly between quiet, hushed intimacy and sudden, gripping intensity. As they prepare to take their atmospheric live show to Salford’s Sound From Another City festival on May 3rd, “Blu Tac Piano” stands as a definitive opening statement for a band that feels both deeply inward-facing and entirely absorbing.
