With the amount of emerging talent currently bursting onto the scene, it can be hard to keep up with the hottest new acts.

So here at Hot Vox we’re slowing things down and really taking the time to check out one of our favourite new acts.

Coming fresh out of Birmingham, one of the most bustling cities in the UK, is none other than rock band Pending. Made up of vocalist Paul Barnes, guitarist Jamie Crew, bassist Nikola Yanev and drummer Jacob Oakey, the band has been actively making an impact since their debut in 2020. This act definitely has a passion for the arts, as all the members studied music at the BIMM Institute’s Birmingham branch.

As of September 2022, Pending has released five compelling singles of which the first four were released in their self-titled first EP Pending: “Til’ The Sun Goes Down” (2020), “This Life Is Boring” (2021), “Just A Little Broken” (2021), “Play Your Cards Right” (2021)”, and most recently “Crazy World of Lies” (2022). Their first single “Til’ The Sun Goes Down”, their most streamed song on Spotify, is strong at grasping the listener into the track’s vibe. The warm-toned key of the song is reminiscent of traveling through the desert cowboy style. The stand out of this track is Crew’s guitar solo towards the end, really solidifying the somewhat nostalgic feel of the songs as well as the theme of reminiscence embodied within.

Their most recent track, “Crazy World of Lies”, is comparable to that of a mid-2000’s indie-rock sound. Barnes’s softer vocals in this track contrast well to that of the instrumental, which can fill up the listeners ears at times providing a pleasing experience. This track also plays a bit with tempo as towards the end, there is a shift in speed where another guitar solo from Crew fuels the change.

You can catch Pending at their two upcoming live shows for their Compass Tour! They will be playing 20th October at SOK in London as well as 1st December at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham. We look forward to seeing what artistic adventures Pending will take next!