Across the four tracks that make up An Anti-Imperfection, Cavan Murphy demonstrates a maturity and breadth to his songwriting, from high-energy indie-pop to snarling alt-rock. It might be his debut EP, but he’s evidently no newcomer.
Having gigged around West Yorkshire for the last five years, much of that time playing as a solo acoustic act, the singer-songwriter from Boothtown in Halifax pulled together a full band line-up in the summer of 2025. The move has added new dimensions to his sound.
The EP opens with The Narcissist, a chunk of urgent rock that binds crunchy guitar and rattling drums, while second track, History, pulls at the more melodious aspects of indie-pop flagbearers Los Campesinos! The remainder of the EP explores darker tones, with the guitars on No Surrender given a bit of sneer to match the sentiment of the lyric.
Cavan: “There was always music playing in the house, so I’ve had a real love of music throughout being a kid. My parents played bands like Kasabian, The Enemy and Oasis, so I’ve always had a love of bands like that and from there I found my own favourite artists.”
“As a young kid, I was in the Halifax Minster Choir. Through that, I had some piano lessons, but I never really had any interest in it. I think I was playing the wrong music. I wanted to play newer music, but with it being the choir, I never got to play any pop music or anything like that. I also played drums for a few years for a bit of fun. Then when I was in my first year at secondary school, I started playing guitar. I had three or four lessons and then we went into lockdown, so I ended up playing six hours a day. I think that’s the reason I’m doing what I’m doing now. It’s because lockdown happened.”
DS: Do you remember the first song you wrote?
Cavan: “Yeah, it’s a song called Home. It’s about growing up in Halifax and how everyone tells you to get out as quickly as you can. It’s a slow acoustic song but as I have added the band in it’s become a proper singalong indie tune.”
DS: What are your current influences?
Cavan: “At the moment I’m listening to a lot of newer indie bands like The Ks and Arkayla. I think there’s a massive new chunk of amazing indie artists that are coming through at the moment. It’s great.”
DS: What are your thoughts on the local music scene?
Cavan: “The scene in Halifax and the surrounding areas is amazing. There’s some great bands coming through like Grow and The Caymans. My favourite venue in the world is The Grayston Unity so to have it just down the road from me is amazing. I’ve played there a couple of times now and I can’t wait to be back there for the launch of my debut EP. They also allowed us a grant earlier in the year to go towards the recording of the EP. They’ve been absolutely amazing to me throughout the years while I’ve been playing, so it’s such an honour to be able to play there again.”
DS: Could you name five artists that have helped shape your sound?
Cavan: “I think that completely depends on when I was writing the songs. There’s a mix of your standard, modern indie sound and a heavier, gritty sound. But if I could sum it up, it would be Arctic Monkeys, The Royston Club, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Milburn and The Black Keys.”
Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent
The Royston Club – Cariad
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Spread Your Love
Milburn – Send In The Boys
The Black Keys – Gold On The Ceiling
Follow Cavan Murphy on Instagram for gig announcements and news of future releases.
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