Dublin band Sprints sign with Berlin indie label City Slang

Dublin noise rockers Sprints have signed with Berlin-based independent record label City Slang.

Formed in 2019 when Karla Chubb, guitarist Colm O’Reilly and drummer Jack Callan - already playing together under a slowly-dwindling former guise - had the lightbulb moment at a Savages gig that they too could play the music they actually listened to and loved.

Recruiting bassist Sam McCann for their first show back in February of that year, the difference from day one was tangible. “Our only ethos in music is to write something that matters and that means something,” says Karla. “It’s all about expressing our identities, and injecting our personalities into it.”

Sprints' newest single ‘Literary Mind’ reeled in further intrigue for the Dublin four-piece when it dropped on August 31st, 2022 via Nice Swan Records. The accompanying music video was helmed by creative director and photographer Niamh Barry - while the single was produced by Gilla Band’s Daniel Fox.

Often labelled a political band, even the way they inhabit that idea feels refreshing.

“I don’t have to know everything to be able to tell you that something’s shit. I understand that women should have access to abortion, and I understand that mental health services are not adequate to stop people from committing suicide, so yeah, I don’t know exactly how much money is being spent on it but I don’t need to in order to tell you that it’s not enough,” Karla stresses.

“It’s just a class barrier to make people feel like, if they’re not educated enough, then they can’t be involved in the conversation. But you don’t have to be Usain Bolt to run a race, and you don’t have to understand the theory of everything to understand that, morally, someone’s an asshole.”

On the come up, the band has released two EPs so far since their formation – 2021’s Manifesto and A Modern Job, released in 2022.

They covered Wet Leg’s viral single ‘Chaise Lounge’ earlier last year to resounding applause, then played SXSW and The Great Escape and supported Liam Gallagher. They were also seen performing at Glastonbury in the same week. Last September, the Dubliners took on the Mind & Body stage at this weekend’s Electric Picnic.