Hidden Herd Presents is Brighton’s new music discovery night, spotlighting the most exciting emerging artists, ones-to-watch and hidden gems.
This time, head on down to The Hope & Ruin on Thursday 10th September for live performances from Sex Mask, Polite Bureaux, Humane The Moon, & Minor Dents.
Let’s meet the artists:
Championed by NME as “Australia’s next big export”, Sex Mask are a three-piece alternative post-punk band from Melbourne. Comprised of Wry Gray (vocals/lyrics), Vinnie Moncada (drums/production) and Kaya Martin (guitar/synth), the band’s electrifying fusion of proto-post-punk and writhing no-wave cool has drawn comparisons to artists ranging from The Strokes to Bloc Party to Idles. With millions of Spotify streams to their name, Sex Mask have earned glowing praise from Dork — who featured them as Hype cover stars — as well as BBC Radio 6 Music, The Line of Best Fit and Clash Magazine. Experiencing Sex Mask live is all gas, no brakes. Renowned for their urgent, propulsive and wildly fun performances, the band have toured Australia with Sleaford Mods and the UK with Radio Free Alice, while also supporting Fcukers, Big Special and Fat White Family. They have also appeared at festivals including SXSW, The Great Escape Festival, Dot To Dot Festival and End of the Road Festival.
Bradford’s Polite Bureaux is the energetic, genre-blurring electronic post-punk project of Joe Smith, driven by wiry lo-fi beats and razor-sharp lyrical rants about everyday life. Existing somewhere between detached observation and controlled chaos, the project sits at the forefront of a new underground movement pushing beyond the confines of the traditional band setup. Smith has carved out a singular lane where drum machines collide with jagged guitar lines, and where a single click of a laptop can unleash a burst of unpredictable Northern energy. Praised by Emily Pilbeam on BBC Radio 6 Music and Melita Dennett on BBC Music Introducing, as well as NME and Louder Than War, Polite Bureaux has emerged as a distinctive and uncompromising voice in the UK underground. Live, Polite Bureaux has performed at The Great Escape Festival, completed an 11-date UK tour with The Lovely Eggs, and supported Benefits at Brighton’s Chalk.
Emerged in 2023 as the solo project of Max Hanley, Humane The Moon have since evolved into a formidable five-piece. What began in isolation has grown into a collaborative force, blending jagged riffs, brooding lyricism and raw emotional intensity. Rooted in East London’s underground scene, their sound draws on icons like David Bowie, The Smiths and Radiohead, sharpened by the grit of King Krule and the punch of Smashing Pumpkins. Their breakout EP ‘Mythomania’ earned acclaim from BBC Radio 1, Zane Lowe on Apple Music, DIY, Clash and Wonderland, while follow-up release ‘Debris Joice’ expanded their lyrical and sonic scope, gaining further support from The Line of Best Fit and Dork. Now entering a darker and more expansive phase, Humane The Moon channel themes of fragility, defiance and existential weight. Their latest single, ‘Tetris’ – featuring spoken-word artist Kate Ireland – marks a bold evolution, pushing further into an ambitious sonic and emotional landscape. Live, the band recently performed at Left of the Dial Festival in Rotterdam and The Great Escape Festival, and are set to appear at Big Dork Summer at The 100 Club.
Brighton’s Minor Dents are a propulsive experimental space-rock trio comprised o Holly Finch (vocals/bass), Ryan Bollard (drums) and Al Strachan (keys/cornet/electronics). Drawing comparisons to Broadcast, Young Marble Giants, Silver Apples and ESG, the band blend hypnotic rhythms with off-kilter electronics and atmospheric minimalism. Following a recent live performance, music writer Everett True described them as “Mesmerising… hypnotic goodness.” Their debut EP, ‘Sitting With The Fish’, is out now via Rose Hill Records and has earned support from Brighton Source, as well as Colin Newman (Wire) and Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact) on their Swimming In Sound radio show. Live, Minor Dents have supported Ganser and Gnod, played Slack City’s Slackscape showcase alongside Formal Speedwear and Polite Bureaux, and appeared at this year’s Lewes Psych Festival curated by Innerstrings and Melting Vinyl.
Advance tickets are on sale now from HERE.
You can also discover exciting emerging artists on the Hidden Herd New Music Spotlight playlist HERE.
