“Our voice memos are completely full of tracks—some great, some bad, but we never stop writing.”

NEW SINGLE '24' OUT NOW

W: Maxine Sutton I: Charlie

With nostalgically warm guitar lines, festival-ready choruses, and an infectious feel-good energy, The Harbours are carving out a distinct lane in the UK’s indie-rock landscape. Comprising Ollie on vocals, Will on guitar, Oscar on drums, and Nathan on bass, the Leicestershire-based four-piece build their sound around jangly melodies, tight live harmonies, and unashamedly big pop hooks. Sitting somewhere between The Kooks and Two Door Cinema Club, their music is designed for proper summer singalongs.

The band’s name traces back to their early days when Will and Ollie met at university, where they used to play a simple drinking game called ‘Harbour’. When they finished university and formed the group, adopting the name felt like the ideal tribute to the exact time and place where their creative partnership began.

“Keeping relevant on social media while balancing normal life is an unfortunate reality of the industry.”

That shared history sets the tone for their pre-show rituals today. Before taking the stage, Ollie and Will warm up their vocals with a quick rendition of ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’ by The Kooks. Ollie leans into his diva tendencies with a strict pre-show requirement: a freezing cold Fanta or Orange Tango. Whether that is scientifically sound for the voice or pure superstition at this point remains up for debate. To get into the zone, the whole group takes quiet time together right before stepping out, while Nathan can usually be spotted making last-minute adjustments to his setlist.

While they lean into the punchier, pop-infused side of indie rock, the band avoids putting themselves into a box. They prefer to let their creative instincts dictate their studio sessions and see where the music naturally lands afterwards. Songwriting is easily their greatest strength as artists; their voice memos are constantly overflowing with ideas. Though plenty of tracks never see the light of day, that relentless work ethic—paired with multi-part live harmonies—has quickly won over new listeners.

Navigating the modern music industry comes with its fair share of hurdles. Protecting Ollie’s voice during intense touring schedules is an ongoing effort, but their biggest challenge is managing social media. Staying ahead of content trends while balancing band duties, regular jobs, and normal life is a tough reality for independent musicians—especially with the members spread across the Midlands and Nathan based up in Manchester.

“We’re making proper singalong festival music packed with big hooks and summery indie energy.”

Looking ahead, their creative drive comes down to a simple goal: playing bigger stages and hearing crowds sing their lyrics back to them. Influenced by long-time favourites like The Kooks and Viola Beach (to whom they pay tribute in their track ‘Scarlet (Boys That Sing)’), they also harbor dream collaborations with acts like Blossoms, Sam Fender, Declan McKenna, and particularly The Royston Club.

As they gear up for their biggest headline tour to date—capped off by four of their largest venue shows yet—fans can expect a broader, more expansive sound developed alongside new producers. Their upcoming material promises bigger hooks, sharper production, and even a few slower, more stripped-back tracks that explore a totally new side to the band.