the north "Coming of Age" EP Review

"Coming of Age" Album Art

Kay Joseph | May 2026

Leeds-based indie rock band the north kicked off the month with their second EP, “Coming of Age”.

Here at BRUIT., we’ve been anticipating their release, and we’ll tell you all about it. 

Formed in February 2025, the north consists of singer and guitarist Billy Memphis, drummer Sian Keates, guitarist Kobi Griggs and bassist Macca Boylan. They’re signed under Communion Records, home to Wunderhorse and Catfish & The Bottlemen.

With the title track and “Can’t Sleep” already released, the group finally graced us with the full EP on 1 May, consisting of four songs in total. Along with the release, the band is headlining a UK tour in November. Tickets went on sale on the day this article is released.

Track 1 – Can’t Sleep

The EP kicks off in high gear. Unpolished and rough around the edges, the song seems to describe the never-ending cycle of overthinking and trying to make sense of everything, although you’re never quite getting to that satisfactory point: “I can't sleep, can't sleep, though I'm so tired / I think and think until I'm drained / Then I fall back awake again”.

What immediately stood out to me was Billy’s raw vocals. It adds that extra layer of frustration that is communicated through the lyrics. When it mellows down after the second chorus, it becomes a more vulnerable moment as well. His voice fits with this song perfectly.

Track 2 – Coming of Age

“Coming of Age” is what can only be described as sadness in disguise. With high-energy, lively instrumentals, the lyrics are actually a bit sad. The one that stood out to me in particular was at the start of the song. “I don't, I don't know where I'm going / There's a gun at my head, can you pull it / If I jump off the edge, don't jump too.”

Once again, Billy delivers an incredible performance vocally, but the real stars of the song are Kobi’s catchy guitar riffs throughout, which are beautifully supported by Macca’s basslines. This title track is masterfully crafted from start to finish. 

Track 3 – Eyelashes

This is the band at its most vulnerable on this project. Confident, but keeping a sense of emotional vulnerability in its rawest of states. One possible meaning could be how difficult it can be to say goodbye to your fans when you’ve been on stage for the night. 

This feeling that the protagonist carries reflects in the lyrics, such as “I've come to terms now this thought won't end / Made up my mind you won’t see me again” and “Far in the pit I know I'll be missed / all apologies those who loved me / I loved you too”

Track 4 – Tubes

The EP closes off slowly and softly while keeping that rock-ish energy to it. The drums are what really carry the song. In some sense, “Tubes” has something nostalgic and amongst the high-energy, lively songs that came before, it stands out for this exact reason.

The instrumentals are moody, and the lyrics mirror this feeling: “The city's eating itself / It's tryna eat me too / My lungs fell over and tripped back into you.” The vocals are much more toned down, blending into the atmosphere that this song creates. Billy has a particularly noteworthy vocal adaptability. 

the north is a band that bends the rules of the rock genre and makes it their own. They’re not interested in hypes or trends, but do what they want to do. With “Coming of Age”, they deliver exactly that and make them a name to look out for in the future.

Listen to “Coming of Age” here!

Follow the north on Instagram here!