Occupying a truly unique realm somewhere between gothic country and lo-fi alt rock, the sonic landscape of Edinburgh’s Scarred Lip frequently defies easy categorisation.
The first EP Fair Head featured songs written throughout vocalist and guitarist Matthew Bakewell’s life, from an adolescence in Belfast’s vibrant DIY music scene absorbing the influences of American alternative music in the shadow of seismic political and cultural upheaval, to the best part of two decades spent embedded in Edinburgh as part of bands such as Half Formed Things and A Fight You Can’t Win.
The band are set to unveil their debut album, The Threshold, with an unforgettable launch show at the iconic Bongo Club on Saturday, 17th May 2025. Produced by the acclaimed Edwin McLachlan — renowned for his work with Kapil Seshasayee, Half Formed Things, neverfine and Day Sleeper — the album marks the arrival of an exciting new force in Scotland’s music scene.
Written over the course of 2024 and recorded in Edinburgh during December 2024 and January 2025, The Threshold is a deeply emotional and atmospheric record. Drawing on themes of generational trauma, grief, and love, the album captures Scarred Lip’s distinctive ability to weave raw, personal storytelling into a powerful and genre-blurring soundscape.