There’s a pulse in the London underground again — a heartbeat that hums through sticky floors and late-night amps. Payola catch it perfectly on Wait, a track that sounds like tension itself finally snapping.
Payola’s new single Wait doesn’t ease you in, it pulls from the melodic sweep of Britpop and the ragged edge of punk.
The track bursts open with bright, chiming guitars that slice through the mix with the impatience of a band desperate to move, to push forward, to get on with it. There’s tension in every note, a wiry electricity that sets the tempo before the drums even slam in.
When they do land, Craig Edmonds’ kit hits with a thumping, magnetic urgency, driving the track like a heartbeat beginning to race. Matt Peel’s bass locks in underneath, thick and muscular, adding a pulse that never lets go and combined with Robbie Capel’s chining guitars, it’s the kind of rhythm section that turns a cramped venue into a pressure cooker.
Over the top, Dave Farley delivers one of his most urgent and emotionally loaded vocals yet — leaning forward, stretching out the frustration, the affection, the fire that fuels the song’s core. His delivery has that raw, street-corner sincerity, the kind of voice that carries both bite and warmth in the same breath.
Scott Forsyth’s lead guitar brings the melodic sweep, shaping the hooks with a Britpop shimmer before tearing into sharper, punk-edged lines that give the track its teeth. The whole thing feels like Payola have tightened every bolt; they’re louder, leaner, and more focused than ever.
What makes Wait hit hardest is the emotional undercurrent running beneath the noise — that messy, magnetic friendship the lyrics hint at: the mate who drives you mad, lifts you up, and never really leaves your orbit. The band captures that chaos beautifully, balancing affection with intensity, melody with grit.
By the time the final chorus fires, Wait has already done its job: it’s a breakout moment, a sharp, sonic snapshot of a band who’ve found their identity and are sprinting into it full pace. This is Payola plugging straight into the mains — swagger, soul, rock’n’roll, no brakes, no hesitation.
Wait isn’t just another step forward for Payola — it’s the moment the doors blow open.
A band once buzzing underground now sound like they’re ready to take the whole city with them. A proper statement from a band no longer warming up — they’re shifted into top gear and not easing off.
Wait is released on Friday 5th December and will be available on all download and streaming platforms.
Wait received it’s exclusive first play on the ThisIsTheMusic Rise Of The Indie Artists show on 11th November. It will be played on this Thursday’s show on Mixcloud.
Gigs
Friday 5th December: Spice Of Life, Soho
Friday 7th March 2026: Brentwood March of The Mods: Essex Arms, Brentwood
Payola Socials
ThisIsTheMusic 
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