Start Listening To: Y
One of the strongest bands to come out of the Windmill scene in recent memory.
London’s Y thrives on unpredictability, blending sharp-edged riffs, driving rhythms, and an ear for the unconventional. Their sound has been described as everything from wonk rock to Gameboy thrash, but as far as they’re concerned, it’s all about movement, energy, and a good time. With members who have played in bands like Fat White Family, Pregoblin, and Meatraffle, Y is a product of collaboration, spontaneity, and a shared love of making music that surprises. Their debut single, ‘Why’ is a sax-fueled, high-energy statement of intent, setting the stage for their upcoming EP and a packed touring schedule - including a headline date at the legendary 100 Club.
We caught up with Adam Brennan, Sophie Coppin, and the rest of Y to talk about their origins, their approach to songwriting, and what’s in store for 2025.
For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?
Adam: We are Y, a London based band, comprising of Adam Brennan guitar/bass,vocals, Sophie Coppin synth/vocals, Dan GB bass/guitar Harry McHale saxophone and Fells Drums. We make music to move to. Essentially we are a rock band but we are a mash up of genre’s and influences. We often don’t do things in the traditional rock band way, it’s very riff and groove based music. I hate the word groove, what I mean is we have a real heavy focus on a big beat. Often we shy away from using big distorted guitar chords and strip away chords in general to leave a lot of space in sound for all the instruments to shine through; Lots of melodic parts and solos. I think we have a pretty fresh sound for 2025
Y’s sound is described as “wonk rock” and “Gameboy thrash,” among other things. How would you define your sound?
Adam: Somewhere in between any of those stupid, completely made up genres is fine with me. Our sound and style changes song to song. We aren’t really aiming for any one sound or style. I like to think we can kind of play anything. We try to make sure we find it fun. I don’t really define our music as anything other than a good time.
Sophie: I do like the idea of ‘Gameboy Trash’ to be honest. A few of our more lively tracks sound computerised to my ear, even though it’s all played without backing tracks. I guess that’s a genre in itself, a bit ear bending.
Your debut single “Why” explores the idea of unanswered questions. How did this theme emerge, and what specific questions or uncertainties are you addressing with the track?
Adam: Funnily enough it was actually Sophie’s synth that first said ‘ Why’. She had it on this setting and it sounding like the word ‘Why’ was forming every time she pressed a key, so Sophie started saying ‘Why?’ on the beat along to the track. We love instrumental music and we thought we didn’t want to lose the power of the track by cluttering it up with loads of unnecessary vocals.
Sophie: To be honest it’s very fitting because ‘why’ has always been one of my favourite words, I’ve used it in a lot of my lyrics with our other songs without realising until afterwards; A fairly useful coincidence for subliminally drumming that Y into peoples brains when they listen.
The track’s chorus features prominent saxophone. What role does the saxophone play in your music, and how did it become such a key element of “Why”?
Adam: We really push the sax to the forefront of a lot our songs, especially the more instrumental stuff. Sax really cuts through a mix and we wanted to steer the instrument in a way that took it from that more traditional back ground lounge sound, make it something powerful. In the right hands it’s a mighty instrument. We thought the riff on the song ‘why’ just worked best on the sax.
Sophie: I always notice whenever Harry plays that riff in soundcheck before we begin, to check his effects are right or whatever, everyone in the room looks dead up. It just works.
“Why” seems to blend various instruments like synth, guitar, and saxophone in unconventional ways. Can you share your creative process when it comes to arranging such unique combinations?
Adam: Sophie and I map out all the songs at home, so we know what we want to do when we get together with the band. We had the main sax riff already down for it and we introduced it to Harry so he could start adding little inflections on it to really make it zing. When it comes to the solo sections there is a lot improvising until we start hitting on some themes that we will start to repeat when play it again. It’s never exactly the same each time we solo, we all come at it from that jazz point of view. The synth solo is very unconventional as that’s essentially the first verse.
The guitar solo is the 2nd verse. I’m pretty proud of the way I got it down on the record, as I played it live while we were recording the main drum, bass and guitar track live together in the studio.
Then I had a listen later in the day and added a wonky sounding harmony over the end section.
Sophie: You should have seen Adam put the duel guitar solo down for ‘Why’ when we first made the home demo-5 minutes max I’d say. He has this knack for improvisation that really gets things moving quickly and gets me excited to get the song down that same day.
The band formed during a period of isolation. How did that time influence the sound and direction of Y, and how did you navigate the challenges of creating music in that environment?
Adam: Well it would have taken us a lot longer, that’s for sure! Usually we are having to navigate everything around day jobs and other responsibilities. Sophie and I live together, so all that time alone with nothing to do gave Sophie and myself the opportunity to work on music every day for months on end. That resulted in hundreds of songs. We really did our best to turn a negative time into a productive one.
Sophie: I didn’t own any instruments or really play one for that matter before I met Adam. I used to make music alone on a garage band app on my phone in this leaky little shed in a shared house; using inbuilt midi sounds on a little keyboard on the screen. Because neither of us owned a laptop when we met, we actually used that same app to create music together and recorded Adams amped guitar and my vocals through a cheap headphone microphone. The demos weren’t that bad considering! The band took various forms but when it evolved into the current line up we knew we were on to something exciting.
With members having ties to bands like Fat White Family and Pregoblin, how do those previous musical experiences shape your approach to Y, and do you feel like you’re bringing any specific influences from those projects?
Adam: I’ve been playing in fat white family for the last 6 years and Fells has for the last couple. He joined in time to drum on the last album. You obviously learn a lot from every band you work with. As a musician you never stop learning. When it comes to some bands you also learn a lot of what not to do and importantly how not to behave! Over all, it’s been very inspiring playing with such great musicians and song writers over the years and more often than not it’s a very good laugh too.
I’ve been in and out of pregoblin. I ended up playing on some of the record “pregoblin two” in which Sophie sang on and co produced the song Big hitters, the opening track on the pregoblin album. Dan and I play together in SCUDFM and Dan is also in Meatraffle, another band I’ve served for plenty- I feature on a couple of tracks on their last two albums. Everyone I know plays in at least a couple of bands; Harry and Fells have their own bands too. But with Y I think we’ve found our own little thing, I don’t think Y particularly sounds anything else.
You’re about to embark on a tour supporting Fat Dog and Keg, followed by a headliner at the 100 Club in April. How do you approach preparing for a live show?
Adam: You have to be rehearsed but not over rehearsed because then it’s all a ridged and formal. You have to have a drink or two or three but not be drunk. You need that little element of surprise and most importantly not take it too seriously; You have to remember if you aren’t having any fun how are the audience going to enjoy it?
Sophie: I’m always drunk by the time we play. I forget everything and feel like a bit of an awkward Dad about to crack some kind of offensive joke into the mic through a gorgeous reverb. Just before a show I often go between planning some kind of heroic ceiling dive crowd surf, to all of a sudden thinking, I’ll play it totally cool and give literally nothing to the crowd. But instinct always takes over and you just do whatever you do. You should have seen some of our first shows though, seriously- my arms would be cemented by my side. I would look down the whole time, or have my eyes closed. I hated and loved every second of it.
Your debut EP is coming out in April. What can we expect from the rest of the EP, and how does “Why” fit into the overall concept of the release?
Adam: Each track on the EP is very different. “Why”is such a statement, it’s so manic. There is a big poppy number called “Hate”which is a duet between Sophie and I. We based it around our favourite 50’s/60’s classic chord progression. We inverted the love song- it’s a hate song. “Marianne” is a slightly jazzy tinged pumper with Sophie doing almost biblical spoken word, it gets a little spooky. “Ladies Who” is full of wonky hooks, I wrote a nice little harmony part on that one. We wrote all these songs about 4 years ago, so it’s just great to finally have them coming out on vinyl.
Sophie: ‘Why’s’ the banger. It’s the one when we first started playing it live, people started to really move hard to our other music. It’s almost like they understood everything else fully once we wrote that song. I personally love playing Marianne live. It gives me a spirit to let go for some reason. Hate is an ode. Ladies who was a bit of a cheeky write, catchy and with great guitar/ sax harmonies that make the whole thing rise. It’s an eclectic mix of tracks.
The live show at Brixton’s Windmill is already sold-out, which speaks to the growing buzz around Y. What do you hope people take away from your live performance, and how does the experience of performing differ from creating music in the studio?
Adam: We just want people to have a good time with us. Pure and simple. We approach the studio pretty much same as a live gig. We are rehearsed and know what to do. Turn up on time, tune up, bash it out solid in the first take , if possible and be out of there in time for dinner.
Sophie:
It’s got to be a bit of a party doesn’t it ? At least a little bit messy.
What do you love right now?
Adam: My girlfriend, My friends, My family, all dogs and some cats, there is a lot to love in this world.
Sophie: A couple of glasses of red wine after work. It’s become my new recenter. Lowers cholesterol & full of antioxidants.
What do you hate right now?
Adam: Bullies. Cowards. Murders, I’m more of a lover than a hater.
Sophie: I hate nothing but dislike a lot. No, actually I hate the sound of people eating.
Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?
Adam: Strawberries by The Damned. I got into it as young teenager; it’s got everything. Punk rock, gothic ballads, strange little musical interludes, some real poppy moments too that are very tastefully done. ‘Under the floor again’ is my favourite song from that record. Incredible guitar playing from one of my favourite guitarists Captain Sensible. I go back and have a listen to this album every year and it never loses its appeal.
Sophie: That’s a difficult question. I always find myself coming back to Fresh by Sly & the Family stone. You’ve got your I’m fearless and free anthems, your fry an egg to songs, your making love to tunes; it always wakes me up.
As part of your identity, you’ve mentioned that the answers to life’s questions are found through music. How does music provide clarity or answers for you, both as individuals and as a band?
Adam: Our name is a question. Music is the answer to all life’s woes.
Sophie: Music is the one of the purest forms of expression. It’s like how you can’t find a baby offensive, even if its creators are monsters and if you think a baby is ugly, you’re an asshole.
