Oral Habit arrive at The Old England on 26 June, bringing their feral brand of psychedelic punk to Bristol. Presented by Velvet Echoes and Extra Terrestrial Promotions, the Brighton trio deal in what they describe as “the ear-rattling psychic dream of choked-up acid punks.” It’s psychedelia stripped of its dreamy haze and pushed into something far louder, sharper and more volatile.

Oral Habit

Originally a home-recording project from frontman Charlie Hales, Oral Habit has grown into a full-throttle trio with Felix Hales on drums and Tippi Lewis on bass. Together they deliver short, explosive bursts of fuzz-soaked guitar, echo-drenched vocals and feedback-laced chaos that feel permanently on the edge of collapse.

Their latest EP Garage Frock! builds on the warped foundations of Cardiovascular Spectacular, throwing together primitive riffs, blown-out distortion and swirling textures with everything turned firmly into the red. Even moments that begin with deceptive calm quickly spiral into crushing waves of sound.

Drawing as much from the disoriented racket of mid-60s freakbeat as from the intensity of modern psych punk, Oral Habit create music that feels urgent, unpredictable and completely unrestrained.

Their philosophy says it all: “If a button’s there, it’s there to be pushed.”