HIGHWAYVES releases new single “Family Tree”

Based on the Isle of Man, HIGHWAYVES are a rising collective channeling a sonic storm of emotion and atmosphere. Since their arrival in 2023, the outfit has made an impact with their immersive sound which draws from the heavy, distorted grit of grunge and the hooks of indie rock while bathing everything in the hazy textures of shoegaze. It’s a contrast that they wield with precision, flowing between tension and release, weight and lift.

From the start, HIGHWAYVES have handled every aspect of their art with a fiercely independent ethos; writing, recording and producing, each element of their artistic output is shaped in-house, resulting in a body of work that’s truly personal. Their debut run of singles, including “I Wanna Be Controlled,” “Plastic” and “Frame It,” established them as an act with both vision and talent.

With coverage from tastemakers and high praise from BBC Introducing, who’ve named them one of the most exciting acts to watch for 2025, HIGHWAYVES have thoroughly earned their place in the conversation around the next wave of alternative rock. Now, the group returns with their latest single titled “Family Tree,” a track that further builds on everything they’ve done so far.

This is a song that creeps in with calculated stillness and ends in chaos, mirroring the gravity of its subject matter. Inspired by two disturbing court cases, “Family Tree” plunges into the darkness of familial trauma, unearthing the fractures and hidden violence that can run beneath the surface of inherited bonds, resulting in a song that’s not afraid to be uncomfortable and it’s all the more powerful for it.

Mixed by the band themselves and mastered by Robin Schmidt, who’s worked with the likes of The 1975, YUNGBLUD and Beabadoobee, “Family Tree” balances high production values with the band’s gripping songwriting. Brought in by the hazy twangs of guitar notes, compelling vocal lines ring out above before the atmosphere gives way to the strike of drums and stacks of instrumental textures, crafting a gritty indie rock scene.

Flowing with a subtly haunting aesthetic and cut with instantly memorable melodic writing, the arrangement builds in intensity throughout, reaches a crescendo of crashing drums and wall of guitars capped by commanding vocals which soar to cast lofty leads, offering an engrossing finale that leaves a lasting impression. It’s a spectacular showcase of HIGHWAYVES’ loud and riveting alternative rock sound, once again confirming their status as an exciting force in the rock music scene of the UK.

Listen to Family Tree below

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