Sock

Sock is a Cardiff-based four-piece group that emerges on the local scene in late 2017. The band plays a lo-fi, punk-leaning style that also draws on funk-rock, jazz and surf influences, with a sound built around unusual guitar and bass lines, tight percussion and Jacob Church’s slow, expressive vocals.

Background

The group develops as a fully formed unit and gains attention through live performances in Cardiff, including appearances at Sofar Sounds and Sŵn Festival. It also plays support slots for Boy Azooga and Buzzard, which helps bring it to wider attention on the local circuit.

Style and influences

Sock’s music is described as lazy, trippy and funk-rock oriented, with elements of jazz and surf. The group’s influences include Mac DeMarco, Khruangbin and Blur, alongside other reference points. Its songs are shaped by offbeat narratives and an improvised-feeling, imaginative approach to melody and rhythm.

Live reputation

The band becomes known for distinctive live sets, and audiences respond strongly to its performances. One reaction described is that people throw socks at the band during shows, reflecting the act’s name and its playful reception on stage.