Confyde – A Coward's Stitches EP Review

Confyde

Sometimes the music finds you not through PR campaigns or carefully curated press releases, but via a late-night beer-fuelled chat and a Dropbox link that lands in your inbox the next day. That’s how I came across Confyde – the project of musical shape-shifter and rock alchemist Martin Jackson. We met during a gig at The Grove (review coming soon), and later found ourselves at Lost, the new late-night spot opposite Shanghai Shanghai. Turns out they do open mic until 3:30am on a Wednesday – who knew? As I descended into the venue, I was greeted by the hypnotic sounds of a handpan being played by a Polish musician named Rafal Faszczewski. Surreal doesn’t quite cover it.

Martin and I got talking. Music came up. I said the usual: “Yeah, send it on, I’ll give it a listen.” And to be fair, I do try to listen to everything sent to NottsRocks – time allowing. But as we all know, life is ruled by time. And so, between making breakfast for my son, training the cat to use the cat flap (with mixed results), and before heading off to a housewarming in Sherwood, I opened the Dropbox.

The EP is called A Coward’s Stitches, released 7th February this year, and right from the off it does not play nice. The opening title track kicks in hard with post-industrial rock leanings – not usually my bag – but then, at 57 seconds, something happens. A gear shift. Suddenly I’m hearing echoes of ‘70s and ‘80s metal. For a moment, I could swear Iron Maiden’s ghost passed through the track. Then there’s a hint of Muse. The song is wild and erratic in places, but it softens and glides unexpectedly. It’s a real audio trip – heavy but nuanced. The vocals and lyrics are more than a bolt-on; they’re tightly woven into the shifting moods of the track. It feels like a reflection of something deeply personal.

Track two, Once Broken, changes pace. It’s slower, more measured – a catchy guitar riff leads us into a more emotional soundscape. There’s depth here, layered with intent, and it shows a different side of Martin’s songwriting.

But it’s the third track, Hxppy Nxw Yxxr, that truly caught me off guard. Clocking in at just over 8 minutes (9:43 on the video, which I had to click on), it feels like a dual monologue – a narration of inner conflict and reflection, part song, part performance piece. The visuals enhance the experience, and the guitar almost plays the role of an emotional second character, shadowing every vocal line. It’s weirdly theatrical, abstract at times, but I found myself completely drawn in. Then it faded to silence. And I realised I was smiling.

That, for me, is the scale. That’s how we rate things here at NottsRocks – it’s simple: did it make you feel something? Did it pull a reaction out of you, even if it’s just a smile? Then it’s worth your time.

Martin isn’t doing this alone either – Alex Sladen (guitar/backing vocals), Jack Chamberlain (bass/backing vocals), and Dan Brown (drums/backing vocals) make up the full Confyde live lineup. Together, they bring Martin’s genre-bending vision to life – a heady fusion of emotive rock, wild experimentation, and unflinching self-expression.

Confyde’s A Coward’s Stitches is a defiant little EP. It bends genres, challenges convention, and – most importantly – earns your attention. Give it a listen. You might just find yourself smiling too.