TANZANA BOTTLE THE MAGIC ON DEBUT EP ‘ETCHED IN’

EP REVIEW | TANZANA – ETCHED IN by Anne Kelly

Tanzana are one of those bands that you will fall utterly in love with the second you see them live. Catching their set on the BBC Introducing stage at this summer’s TRNSMT Festival was overwhelming in the best way; their distinctive sound, razor-sharp style, and commanding stage presence transformed into something truly special. The Glasgow five-piece present as an extraordinarily refined unit on stage, and now, for the first time, they capture that dynamic live energy on record with their debut EP, Etched In.

Released today via SO Recordings and Hideous Mink Records, Tanzana join the powerhouse roster behind fellow genre-pushing bands like Big Special, Opus Kink, and Enter Shikari. As an introduction to the band, it’s a debut I simply can’t fault, instantly proving why Tanzana are one of the most compelling forces on Scotland’s alternative scene.

Opening with their first official single, ‘Covet’, the EP hits you immediately with a stylish, seductive gothic flair. A teasing guitar twang throughout the verse melts against vocalist Freya Talbot’s breathy, sultry vocal delivery, while a driving rhythm injects a simmering urgency. The band exudes confidence straight through the speakers, with subtle whispered ad-libs weaving an undercurrent of mischief. Two verses patiently build anticipation before the chorus crashes in, erupting as Talbot exhales “Covet” with goosebump-inducing precision. A track anchored in obsession, that pure desperation fuels the song’s relentless momentum.

The previously unreleased ‘Astar’ keeps that alluring, haunting atmosphere. The driving pulse established in ‘Covet’ carries over here with an offbeat sway that leaves an uneasy tension. Talbot’s delivery is laced with passionate rage, spiralling into something increasingly unhinged with every passing line. Guitarists Lily Findlay and Sarah Dunn share a close chemistry, intertwining their parts so seamlessly that the instrumentation mirrors the lyrical descent, pulling back at just the right moments before leaning fully into the fury. By the 2.30 mark, the intensity reaches a fever pitch and a breathtaking wall of sound that suddenly drops away, leaving one final guitar strum to snap you back to reality.

‘Without A Sound’ is an early standout and a personal favourite. Floating in more gently than its predecessors, it nonetheless signals an inevitable descent into raw, cathartic wrath. When the explosive bridge lands, the band sounds possessed. Tanzana’s rhythm section, Karolina Skinderskye (drums) and Katie Hare (bass), holds everything in together, balancing heavy alternative rock with trip-hop-inspired grooves, theatrical post-punk flair, and a contemporary touch of Scottish trad. The result is so atmospheric that pulling away is impossible.

Talbot explains: “‘Without A Sound’ deals with the connection to the art you make and the frustration caused when pushing yourself to your limit. Ultimately knowing it’s the one thing that keeps you going.”

Having spent months already digesting the single ‘Pulse, Pose, Position’, the track is defined by tension and release. It thrives on juxtaposition: Talbot pairs soft, sweet verses with raw, gritty choruses, her punctuated gasps heightening the track’s breathless momentum. The highlight arrives around the 2:20 mark with a frantic, off-kilter breakdown that leaves your head spinning – whimsical and playful, yet completely fierce.

‘You Bite, I Bleed’ maintains that cinematic world-building. A deliberate slow-burner, it retains a playful edge while contrasting lyrics like “worship” and “play” in the same breath, capturing the band’s contradictory charm. Tanzana know precisely how to wield dynamics to craft theatrical anticipation, building steadily toward a climactic scream that marks its dramatic finish.

Closing track ‘This Love’ wraps the record on a striking conclusion. An expansive melody set against a fast, driving rhythm creates a captivating backdrop for Talbot’s vocals, which sound softer and intensely vulnerable, almost as if she is running out of breath trying to keep pace with the music. “I’ve been waiting for you”, she repeats before exhaling into a sigh of relief. The ride is over, and you can finally catch your breath, but the immediate impulse is to restart it from track one.

For a debut, Etched In sounds startlingly complete. It is rare for a new band to capture the frantic energy of their live show on record, but Tanzana have managed it without blunting a single edge. The record is ambitious, theatrical, and steeped in a razor-sharp, whimsical personality that refuses to be neatly boxed in. If this EP is just the beginning for Tanzana, then the future is looking absolutely bloody massive.

Etched In by Tanzana is out now via SO Recordings and Hideous Mink Records. Listen HERE.

If you enjoyed Tanzana on record, you will fall head over heels when you experience them on stage. Catch them live, including supporting Madra Salach, across the UK this month and next. Tickets on sale now.

09 OCT – Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich (UK)*
10 OCT – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (UK)*
11 OCT – The Bullingdon, Oxford (UK)*
13 OCT – Electric Ballroom, London (UK)*
14 OCT – The Elephants Head, London (UK)

23 OCT – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton (UK)
24 OCT – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (UK)
31 OCT – Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)
4 NOV – V11, Rotterdam (NL)
5 NOV – Supersonic, Paris (FR)
7 NOV – Stereo, Glasgow (UK)

*with Madra Salach

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Anne Kelly

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