Barry Island isn’t just the home of seaside arcades and Gavin & Stacey — it’s now the breeding ground for one of Wales’ most exciting new indie exports. Bendricks, a four-piece steeped in anthemic choruses and raw indie grit, are eady to charge out of the South Wales coast and into the national conversation.
Their brand-new single Lucy, released on October 10th, is a searing blast of indie-rock energy and it’s the kind of track that doesn’t just knock on your door, it kicks it clean off the hinges.
From the opening bars, Lucy barrels forward with intent — a wiry guitar hook from Dom Griggs sparking against the feral punch of Aaron Abraham’s drumming. Brother Mitch Griggs’ vocal leads the charge, urgent and full of swagger, but with just enough vulnerability to give the track its edge. Beneath it all, Rhyd Greening’s bass is the anchor, thick and propulsive, ensuring this isn’t just noise — it’s momentum.
Inspired by an idea rather than a specific person, Lucy is deliberately open-ended. It’s a song that thrives on interpretation, inviting listeners to stitch their own experiences into its fabric. The track bristles with the kind of relentless drive that makes you want to move, shout, and lose yourself in its rush.
Mitch himself describes it as a song with “enough energy to power houses around the world” — and that’s exactly how it lands. It’s an open invitation to dance, sweat, and scream it back at the band when they take it to the stage.
And then there’s the chaos behind the scenes. Recording Lucy came with its fair share of madness — including a night in Cheltenham that spiralled into experimental cocktails at The Alchemist, a flying fake tongue and more than a few questionable decisions. Somehow, all of that reckless energy made its way into the music, giving the track the perfect mix of polish and unpredictability.
Credit, too, to producer Matt Butler — a man whose CV includes Paul McCartney, Rush, Deacon Blue and Steve Harley. Butler knows how to walk the line between polish and rawness, and here he captures Bendricks’ live ferocity without sanding down the edges.
There’s a youthful chaos to Lucy that feels both familiar and fresh — the DNA of 2000s indie clubs is there, sure, but Bendricks inject their own Welsh swagger into the formula. The result is a track that feels designed for sticky dancefloors and festival tents, arms raised and voices cracked from the chorus.
With Butler at the controls and the band clearly hitting their stride, Lucy is more than just a single — it’s a statement. Stick it on repeat, and get used to the name Bendricks. You’ll be hearing it a lot more.
Lucy is released on Friday 10th October and can be pre-saved here
Lucy had its exclusive first play in the Rise Of The Indie Artists show. Listen again here.
Bendricks Socials
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