Crank wave

Crank wave (also known as post-Brexit new wave, wonk and Windmill indie) is a music scene and style of post-punk that emerged in the 2010s. The term "crank wave" was coined in September 2019 by writer Mark Beaumont in an article for NME. He had previously coined the term "gristle rock" to describe the South London post-punk scene, which was spearheaded by the band Fat White Family.

In 2021, writer Matthew Perpetua coined the term "Post-Brexit New Wave" in an article for NPR Music to categorize the emerging style. The movement originally developed in the 2010s through several post-punk groups most notably Preoccupations, Protomartyr, Women, Ought and Iceage. The style was later associated with London's Windmill scene which centered around the Brixton music venue the Windmill. The movement entered the mainstream with the success of the English band Idles.

The German term "sprechgesang" which translates to "spoken singing" in English, had also been used by publications due to several bands adopting a style of conscious lyricism and deadpan talk-singing indebted to Mark E. Smith of English post-punk band the Fall. Artists who have been associated with the scene include Black Midi, Black Country, New Road, Squid, Yard Act, Dry Cleaning, English Teacher, Gilla Band, Shame, the Last Dinner Party, Heartworms, Wet Leg, Goat Girl, Fat White Family, Idles, PVA, the Murder Capital and Fontaines D.C.

Etymology and characteristics

In March 2019, NME writer Mark Beaumont coined the term "gristle rock" to describe groups stemming out of the South London music scene such as Fat White Family, who spearheaded the scene. The band described the movement as an "art-sleaze-punk-freak" scene. By September, Beaumont coined the term "crank wave" to describe a new proliferation of 2010s revivalist post-punk bands.