Cutscene "A Piece of Life" EP Review
Magda Kanecka | July 2026
Cutscene is a Durham-born and Manchester-based rising four-piece consisting of Seb Mason (guitar & vocals), Jack Ellis (bass), Jacob Shotton (guitar), and Ollie Little (drums).
Signed to the independent label Heist or Hit since April this year, the band has aligned itself with core shoegaze and post-punk vibes.
After a series of single releases over the past months, on 10 July, they finally released their debut EP, “A Piece of Life”.
Track 1: “Concrete Line”
The opening track of Cutscene’s debut EP opens with a guitar riff that is later replicated in the song's choruses.
The more toned-down verses are paired with echoing vocals which, in my eyes, resemble Fontaines D.C. 's work on the record “Skinty Fia” (2022).
Lyrically, the track is melancholic and descriptive of a person feeling stuck in one place, with the inability to move away from it both mentally and physically: seen in lines such as “The streets feel nothing but shops chained together / And the hope that his footsteps don’t become a debtor’s”.
About “Concrete Line”, the band explained: “The idea was conceptualised after equating the feeling of being ‘stoned’ to the paralysis people feel in modern urban centres where nothing new or exciting really happens.
“The “Concrete Line” represents that stuck-in-stone mindset, that constant, unchanging, cynical stream of consciousness.”
The song is straightforward and doesn’t follow a traditional song structure: there is no set bridge, and the verses are spoken rather than following a set background melody – which I think works particularly well on a track with this meaning.
Track 2: “Shrine (Give Me A Chance)”
The second pre-release single from the EP opens with a rhythmic guitar verse, classic to this genre of music. It is quickly accompanied by Ollie Little’s drumming that perfectly matches the rhythm, and Seb Mason’s vocals, which are explosive at the start of the song, and quiet down in the post-chorus.
In its lyrics, the narrator pleads for another person to let them in and trust them – as per the title, to literally “Give [them] A Chance” – such as in “Just give me a chance to love / A chance to fly / I could show you my world / And my life”. Themes of obsession or fascination are evident throughout the track in an almost haunting way, done so carefully to resemble the title and the repeating instrumental.
If I had to pick, “Shrine” might be my favourite song from this release overall – reminiscent of the exact music I like, and I think it would be a great setlist opener during a live show.
Track 3: “Steep Mornings”
A significant uptone from the previous song, “Steep Mornings” is more pop-punk in its instrumental and the way it utilises instruments – it reminds me of the band Neck Deep’s work on their album “The Peace And The Panic” (2017), which is one of my favourite albums of all time!
As the longest track on the EP, the highlight here for me is definitely the guitar-led bridge: I think the production layering is so impressive that there isn’t a strict need for any lyrics: the music does the talking, a skill that certainly takes time to perfect. “Steep Mornings” is the perfect mid-point of the five-track setlist of this release, and is one that creates a dream-like feeling upon listening.
A small detail I really like here is towards the end of the track, when the music abruptly cuts off for a split few seconds, before resuming again and coming to an end. I think it allows the listener to almost snap out of the dreamy atmosphere I described earlier. Think: a moment of reflection, perhaps.
Track 4: “Imperium”
From the get-go, the drums do the majority of the talking on “Imperium”. This isn’t to disregard any of the lyrics or other elements: the drumming simply stands out to me the most here.
As the final single from the EP, this one is particularly strong lyrically. In an Instagram post, Cutscene shared that the track explores the way “language is used to control and manipulate”, particularly evident in lines such as “Oh words, words / Look what you’ve done / Look how you lied to me I heard”.
Because of this, it is interesting to note that Seb Mason’s vocals here are more faded out, almost as if the audience was listening from a distance. This, in addition to the drums standing out as much as they do, further adds to the melancholic feel that the song creates. On the odd chance that this was done on purpose, I truly applaud the band for their attention to detail!
Track 5: “A Piece of Life”
The EP’s title track is also placed last on the tracklist, as if to wrap up the EP on the core message that Cutscene wants to portray. In its lyrical themes, the song is fairly ambiguous, which allows the listener to adopt its meaning as they wish. I imagine them to be looking back and reminiscing on the meaning of life in times of universal hardship, as if to remind oneself that things can, and will, be okay again.
I adore the way the chorus is noticeably quieter than any other track on the album, and that, once again, the instrumentals are key to getting the message across. It creates a gloomy feel to the record, and allows the band members to showcase their talent.
About the debut more broadly, the band described: “The EP is live sounding and energetic, navigating through powerful vocals and dream-like guitar work.
“A lot of it is inspired by the surroundings in our hometown of Durham, blending beauty with surreal, suffocating images.”
“A Piece of Life” proves Cutscene is a band that is certainly ready to take on the next steps in their journey. Their consistency and stability, both in terms of vocals and broader sound, make them stand out in the post-punk scene, and the themes of belonging, meaning and obsession, stand out throughout. The EP is honest, meaningful and creates a soundscape that is easy to immerse yourself in as a listener.
To those looking to check out a new dreamy, alternative band this year, please let it be Cutscene! While they are still early on in their band career, they are more than ready to take on their next adventure – this EP is concrete proof of it.
Follow Cutscene here!
Listen to the “A Piece of Life” EP here!
You can also support the band directly by purchasing the EP on Bandcamp here!
