It’s as close to real life as you can get without feeling really depressed about it,” Sabrina (originating from
Toronto) offers by way of summarising Shelf Lives – the London-based electro-punk outfit she fronts
alongside guitarist/producer Jonny. Much like this point in time, the duo’s music feels chaotic, tense, and
wired. Pairing hardcore punk’s brief blasts of energy with electroclash’s minimal and sleazy sonics, they
raise themes of societal collapse and hyper-consumerism with a warped smile. The result taps into
headspace that’s as rotten as it is dopamine-flooded, with pent-up frustration and pop hooks tossed
together in a way that makes, in their own words, “the fucked up seem fun.”
Though Shelf Lives haven’t been a band for long, they’ve already played acclaimed sets at Glastonbury,
Boomtown, Kendall Calling, TGE, SXSW, New Colossus, 2000 Trees, YNOT and headlined the Rising
stage at Green man, have supported the likes of Skunk Anansie, Lambrini Girls, Sprints, SNAYX, Jehnny
Beth, The Kills, Lynx and more. Joined fellow confrontational noise-makers Bob Vylan and HO99O9 on
the cover of Gigwise, had a spread in NME and praise and features in Clash, DIY, UPSET, Dork, Line of
Best Fit and on BBC R1 Jack Saunders, Jess Iszatt, Steve Lamacq and more.
Having ended 2024 releasing their second EP (‘No Idea’) and selling out London’s MOTH Club, 2025 is set to be
the band’s biggest yet with plans for a headline tour, summer festival appearances and work on a debut album.
On the face of it, Shelf Lives make catchy, energetic pop songs that bring the abrasiveness and
physicality of punk back to a small, cramped house party setting. It’s music so rowdy you can practically
feel the sweat on the ceiling and the sound of crushed cans under your feet. “I think what you’re gonna
get from us will be different every time, but it won’t sound like a different band,” says Johnny. “As long as
it’s authentic and fun,” Sabrina adds, “Cool – we’re there.”
