W:Mandy Morgan

If you’ve spent any time in the UK’s grassroots venue circuit over the last few months, chances are you’ve already felt the bruising, frantic energy of Shock Horror. The Oxford-based outfit have been quietly building a reputation as one of the most volatile and exciting live acts on the indie scene, and their latest single, On TV, perfectly captures that lightning in a bottle.

Having already cemented itself as a chaotic standout in their live sets, On TV is an absolute auditory assault in the best possible way. The track leans heavily into the band’s signature experimental post-punk formula: think jarring, razor-sharp guitar stabs colliding head-on with screeching, unhinged synths. It’s anxious, it’s visceral, and it refuses to let you look away.

Lyrically and sonically, the track feels like a modern, paranoid critique wrapped in a bass-heavy pressure cooker. It violently shifts tempos, teetering beautifully on the edge of complete prog-tinged madness before pulling you back in with an undeniable, rhythmic groove that forces your feet to move. It’s exactly the kind of boundary-pushing, DIY noise that makes the UK underground so vital right now.

Shock Horror aren’t politely knocking on the industry’s door with this one—they are kicking it off its hinges. On TV is a massive statement of intent from a band that is entirely untamed and absolutely one to watch.