What does Tom Vek sound like?

The turning point of bedroom rock and DIY electronica.

The review of Confirm Yourself by Tom Vek

With ‘Confirm Yourself’ there is an element of retreat, reflection and regrouping with Tom Vek’s music. He has been releasing each of the songs prior to the EP release on Super Collector as if Tom is reaffirming his value as a musician. This EP also places the electric guitar front and centre for the first time in a while. This is the rockiest Vek has been to date and he sticks the landing.

Each song is a belter, using crunchy drums to sell the raw bedroom indie edge. Tom’s voice has always had a pub chatter delivery that sounds like it belongs in punk music. Hearing his voice now paired with the aggressive guitar-centric anthems is a treat. Take ‘Nothing Bad’ as the prime example. The guitars are chugging and the drums are sharp and snappy, allowing Tom to shout and deliver his trademark cool-for-school inflections. Elsewhere ‘Say’ brings Americana sway to Vek’s music. The guitars have a swing to them that brings the song to life. Grungy and swampy, it’s a great mid-tempo number that never feels like its mid-tempo.

As an F1 fan, I can’t help but liken the bassline of ‘Think About It’ to Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’. They initially sound identical at the start of the riff before Tom veers off into his own thing. The skipping beats and swinging bass characterise this track, whilst Tom’s vocals are pushed to their shouty limits. The closer ‘All I See Is You’ is closer to Tom’s 2020 album ‘New Symbols’. Synth bass throbs, steel pan samples, and dancier beats for the choruses. The driving guitars are still there but it’s as if the song is a cross-over point between Tom’s previous work and this one. I feel like it probably should have opened the EP but in an age of playlists and shuffling, that critique is only a slight one – especially as the track ends in a rapturous climax before fading out.

Rock has always been an element of Tom Vek’s music but never quite as hard as this. ‘Confirm Yourself’ is like a bedroom rock breakout artist and reminds me of homebrew musicians like Tune-Yards early in their career. Tom has always had that DIY feel but it is usually through production and hissy drumloops. Here, everything is thicker and fuller drum-wise, allowing the ragged nature of the guitars and vocals to keep the unkempt punk emotion pulsating through every bar.

Recommended track: Nothing Bad

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