How many genuinely innovative new bands does it take to start a bona fide ‘scene’? This is not the set up for a joke but an earnest enquiry into the legitimacy of the latest genre tag, ‘Leedstronica’, a catch-all for the gaggle of artists currently generating a vibrant, fresh, synth-punk energy in the city.
Adult DVD, Bathing Suits, KiosK, TURNSPIT…
“It’s so exciting,” says Rory ‘Maz’ Maslen, one half of bone-shaking, mind-bending new duo KiosK. “And it’s not just a music scene. Lots of our friends are in music, but also photography, art, food, film. It’s all coming up together and we’re collaborating on awesome things at the moment.”
Maz (bass, synths) formed KiosK with Isabella Alcock (vocals, synths) as their previous projects drew to a close. So far, it’s proving to be an ideal match.
“I was looking for a vocalist and our mates Bathing Suits recommended Bella. We had some gigs booked in already, mega soon, so we wrote a couple of new tunes, including Dogma, which became our first single, and reworked some previous material. We’ve just been developing and evolving live since then really.”
KiosK followed up that debut with the double A-sided single Heaven Sent/Sure Shot at the start of 2026. It quickly attracted industry admirers with weighty media support coming from Emily Pilbeam, Steve Lamacq, John Kennedy and The Line of Best Fit.
Fittingly, those first three tracks have now been given club-ready reworks by some of the city’s key players: Leeds/Berlin resident DJ Subaru, the aforementioned TURNSPIT and psych dream-pop outfit Bug Teeth.
While their sound is pure electronica at heart, it is also, within that framework, astonishingly diverse. Their live show bears that out completely, as they swoop from dream-pop to darkwave to techno to goth-noise and back again. They craft both songs and soundscapes, some of which take flight through moody melodies while others gnarl and dig at your skin. There is mystery, artistry, fury and decadence. Above all, they are urgent and alive, keeping you tip-toed and eager to discover their next essential twist.
Maz and Bella are steadily building a reputation for their enthralling live performances. They won a slot at this year’s Green Man after reaching the final of the festival’s Rising competition. They bagged a headline at the famous Windmill in Brixton and have opened for the likes of Machine Girl, The Itch, SILVERWINGKILLER, Another Country $$$$ and Mermaid Chunky.
Maz: “We’ve met a bunch of people at gigs since playing Green Man who came because they saw us there, which is so lovely. We didn’t expect so many people to watch us there! Loads of mates from Leeds played Green Man this year as well, so we didn’t get too homesick.”
As to the future, the band have further tour supports lined up with Adult DVD and Formal Sppeedwear. A new single is in the works too, with a remix scheduled for release shortly after that.
The best way to experience KiosK? “In the dark, drunk,” says Maz.
As it turns out, ‘Leedstronica’ really is a thing. And KiosK are going to be an enormous part of it.
Follow KiosK on Instagram for news of gigs and future releases.
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