Crank wave

Crank wave (also known as post-Brexit new wave, wonk and Windmill indie) is a music scene and style of post-punk that emerged in the 2010s. The term "crank wave" was originally coined in September

Etymology and characteristics#

In March 2019, NME writer Mark Beaumont coined the term “gristle rock” to describe groups stemming out of the South London music scene such as Fat White Family, who spearheaded the scene. The band described the movement as an “art-sleaze-punk-freak” scene. He cited the song “Match Bet” by Squid along with acts such as Idles and Fontaines D.C. as inspiring the phrase. In 2021, writer Matthew Perpetua coined the term “Post-Brexit New Wave” in an article for NPR Music to categorize the emerging style as emblematic of a British post-Brexit cultural malaise. Perpetua defined the groups as primarily stemming from the United Kingdom and Ireland, he stated the musicians had “internalized more recent musical and cultural trends” and “disappointment and pessimism about Britain’s future”. He cited Black Country, New Road’s early style as drawing from contemporary media such as “micro-influencers, PR teams, online forum threads, UE Booms and NutriBullets”. as well as angular guitarwork and large leading basslines. Artists tend to be described as anxious, socially conscious and intellectual.

Precursors#

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the New York post-punk revival scene declined in popularity. Soon, a new wave of post-punk groups began to form across America and Canada, such as Women, Preoccupations, Protomartyr, and Ought. In the Nordic countries, acts such as Iceage and Holograms drew influence from these newer bands. Other notable post-punk groups were Savages, Eagulls, Sleaford Mods, Total Control, Algiers, Priests, Flasher, Viagra Boys and Omni which helped revive interest in the post-punk scene.

Origins#

Drawing from the aforementioned wave, The album led to the band opening for the Maccabees, Foo Fighters and Future Islands. According to The Mancunion, 2018 marked a “turning point” in the alternative scene, and what would be dubbed by journalists as “crank wave” or “Post-Brexit”, with releases such as Idles’ Joy as an Act of Resistance (2018), Shame’s Songs of Praise and Fontaines D.C.’s single “Chequeless Reckless” backed with “Boys in The Better Land”. According to HeadStuff, Idles’ second album made them figure heads of the movement, with sell-out tours along with nominations at the BRIT and Kerrang! awards.

Development#

In 2021, the group Black Country, New Road released their debut album For the First Time, which was described as part of the post-Brexit new wave. Acts such as Black Midi had previously performed at Coachella in 2022.

South London scenes#

By the late 2010s, the South London post-punk scene, spearheaded by the group Fat White Family, was labeled “gristle rock” by NME writer Mark Beaumont in March 2019. The Independent described the style as “gruesome post-punk, torture-chamber Velvets and twisted rock’n’roll”. Subsequently, the Windmill scene emerged as a rock music movement which centered around the Brixton music venue known as the Windmill. Acts included Black Country, New Road, Shame, and Black Midi.

Poland#

In 2025, the publication Idioteq published an article on the Polish underground music scene which involved groups such as Loveworms, who were self-described as crank wave and drawing influence from crank wave groups such as Dry Cleaning.

Criticism#

Critical pushback on the lack of innovation, and homogeneity, of some of the bands under this umbrella has led to some referring to the bands they deem less interesting as “landfill post-punk”. The term was coined by Sam Dynes in 2019, writing for The Mancunion, who stated that “a clear fondness for Mark E Smith runs through most of the lesser bands to the point of parody”. According to The Guardian, Sleaford Mods had also accused Idles of “working class appropriation”. In 2022, writing for The Quietus, Fergal Kinney published an article on “Landfill Sprechgesang”, which criticized Yard Act’s The Overload as exhibiting a “reliance on archetypes, their convenient adoption of influences and the undercooked limitations of their sound”. The article cited lead singer James Smith drawing influence from the Fall as “an influence that sounds derivative to the point of parody”, adding that “Hand-wringing liberal tokenism was antipathetic to Mark E. Smith”. The band later announced that they would no longer be performing the song. Though he acknowledged that the usage of the term was “advantageous”. Kinney concluded in stating “The problem, instead, lies with bands who are talking loud but have little of use to say.”