Genre-bending French band – TAPEWORMS – have returned with a new single “IRL”, ahead of a recently announced UK tour this May.

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Arriving right in time for Spring, known as the season of rebirth, “IRL” is a melting pot of sparkling sounds that blend digital string sections with warped sample solos.

Following on from their debut album ‘Funtastic’, released in 2020, the new track sees Tapeworms build their own innovative bridge between sugary synth-pop and contorted indie. Pushing their sound in new and exciting directions, “IRL” brings a steady tempo and lush production that connotes images of surrealistic dreamlands.

The acronym for ‘In Real LIfe’, a phrase born on social media to distinguish ‘virtual life’ from ‘real life’, ‘IRL’ was heavily inspired by Japanese light novel ‘Haruhi Suzumiya’. Blending ethereal vocals with wonky pop beats, the track explores the relationship between dreams and real life and phantasm and reality.

Accompanied by an official video and dazzling new imagery inspired by livecam websites and early lifecasting macro-stars such as Jennicam, “IRL”’s accompanying visuals play with a variety of narratives and captures the band living out their day-to-day lives.

A promising new addition to the Tapeworms catalogue, “IRL” is set to open a new chapter for the band — one full of never-ending pop exploration.

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Formed by Margot (vocals, bass, synths) and brothers Elio (drums) and Theo (guitar, synths), Tapeworms are a French band who were originally dubbed a “shoegaze revival trio”. Now exploring a wide-range of sub-genres from indie-pop to electronic to art-pop and more, the band take inspiration from day-to-day life and their songs showcase a wide variety of sounds filled with nostalgia, bittersweet recklessness and positivity,

Dubbed a band that “exudes that low-slung cool reserved for bands who look like best mates and play thick, life-affirming guitar pop” by Gus of Kero Kero Bonito, the band most recently featured on “Stay and Ask Me In A Different Way” from the recent The Go! Team album ‘Get Up Sequences Part Two’.

Now ready to unleash their own new music once more, Tapeworms are also heading out on a UK tour this May. Kicking off in Manchester on 4 May, find full dates and details below.

TAPEWORMS UK TOUR 2023

MAY
04 MANCHESTER Soup
05 LIVERPOOL Kazimier Stockroom
06 RAWTENSTALL The Whip & Kitten
07 BIRMINGHAM The Sunflower Lounge
08 BRISTOL Crofters Rights
09 HULL Polar Bear Music Room
10 LONDON Strongroom
13 CHELMSFORD Hot Box Live

Tickets available now