Happy Pride! Our lovely scene has played home to some of the best, queerest music out there, and in 2023 we’ve never been stronger. In the face of a turbulent, often hateful world, LGBTQ+ artists write protest songs by default, but queer joy has never been louder either. Here’s a few artists and bands making brilliant, defiant music you should be spinning this Pride Month.

DELILAH BON

Feminist brat-punk sensation Delilah Bon is making herself heard. On behalf of girls everywhere, she makes music that doesn’t flinch away from razor-sharp critiques and takedowns of shitty behaviour, and isn’t afraid to turn controversial statements into battle cries (“Dead Men Don’t Rape”). But she’s doing more than breed rightful rage, she’s creating a space for women and those marginalised by their gender or sexuality to let their rage out without having to justify it, and party at the same time.

TOKKY HORROR

Cycling through genres and firing off banger after banger, letting themselves be guided by wicked production and a wicked knack for what a tune really needs, Tokky Horror are a force of sheer energy. Whether they’re raving, knocking out a good old guitar tune, or screaming back and forth between their two vocalists, Tokky Horror are transcendental and guttural all at once.

PISS KITTI

PISS KITTI ain’t a bunch of sourpusses. These Liverpool garage punks are channeling their queer fury into all-out ragers, transforming rightful anger into something buoyant and exhilarating. From the infectious “Gaslight! Gaslight! Gaslight!” anthem that is I’m Jammed to the bubblingly fuzzy, weightlessness of lovesick Baby, Stain Me, PISS KITTI are serving up bright, endlessly exciting tunes packed with emotion. If you’re eager to indulge in some bedazzled DIY delinquent anthems, then PISS KITTI are a must.

ZAND

Ugly-pop ‘sewerstar’ ZAND has crawled out of the gutter with the sole purpose of serving up sensual, electro-infused bangers. Armed with their neon-green devil wings and a venomous tongue-in-cheek hooks, ZAND is here to snarl, spit and scream in the face of any bigot who dares stand in their way. Twisted snarls and churning riffs are bolstered by a riling level of sass, every track razor-sharp and antagonising. From the thrumming wank-posi anthem DTF to the jagged, pulsing rage of I Spit On Your Grave, every track is served up with a maniacal grin that is absolutely irresistible.

FEAR OF MARKO

Emo popstar FEAR OF MARKO is your typical e-boy-next-door. Pairing brooding lyricisms with a frazzled alt-pop sensibilities, the self-proclaimed ‘gay icon’ is a heartthrob with a sting in their tail. Slowly carving out a place for themself in the TikTok sphere, Marko is a true force to be reckoned with – just pop on 2022 EP Violent Ends and you’re sure to delight in the dizzying distortion and their heart-on-sleeve charm.

LYNKS

Mysteriously lurking behind an array of masks so iconic that once, when Team BSP went to a queer club night DJed by someone wearing a horned, printed mask, the DJ had to repeatedly tell the crowd “no, I’m not LYNKS, sorry”, LYNKS has very firmly made a name for themselves. Bringing all the grit of punk together with the entertainment value and sheer fun of pop, LYNKS creates irresistibly danceable tunes that hit excellently every time, whether they’re shredding “Silly Boys” or boogieing away with Frank Carter.