Music: Gothic Grandeur in the Quiet/Loud Shadows: Velvetine's "Just This Once"

Velvetine is a London-based alternative rock band consisting of vocalist Mia Scarlet, guitarist Ross Fernyhough, bassist Josh Rowell, and drummer Nate Wicks. The quartet blends post-punk, shoegaze, and goth art rock into their own signature sound, drawing inspiration from cinematic influences like David Lynch and the French New Wave, as well as the intensity of Nick Cave and My Bloody Valentine. Their music is defined by a forcefulness of feeling—gothic and twisted, with cathartic bursts of noisy riffs contrasted against moments of fragility. The band released their debut EP "Wisteria" in July 2025, which was recorded in single takes off the floor to capture the intensity of their acclaimed live performances. Their sound has been described as gothic in the literary sense, employing the shoegaze wall-of-sound and quiet/loud/quiet dynamic with a healthy dose of the dramatics of PJ Harvey and Nine Inch Nails.

"Just This Once" is the fifth track from Velvetine's debut EP "Wisteria," and it stands as one of the band's standout compositions. The song showcases Mia Scarlet's remarkable vocal versatility, as she transitions from restrained, fragile spoken-word delivery to soaring, diva-like heights, all soundtracked by the band's sharp command of tension and release. Originally released as a single in May 2025, the track has been praised for its raw, unpolished sonic authenticity—deliberately eschewing gloss and clean production in favor of harsher qualities that demand attention, including screechy feedback that has a voice of its own. The song bridges contemporary indie alt-rock with the foundational spirit of post-punk, offering what critics have called a potent antidote to musical monotony and a bold statement against bland, predictable songwriting. It's a fascinating confluence of sounds that channels the brooding frustration that fueled alternative music's emergence decades ago, while remaining distinctly modern and forward-thinking.

Band Page: https://www.instagram.com/velvetineband/