Pastel share new single & video ‘Escape’

Having been personally chosen by Liam Gallagher to open his biblical Knebworth Park weekender, Pastel’s performance showed that the newcomers are natural stars on the biggest of stages. Now the Manchester quintet release their first new music single since that landmark show as they share the new single ‘Escape’

The feeling that Pastel have emerged fully formed is amplified by ‘Escape’. Coming across like a modernised missing link between the sprawling psychedelia of early Verve and the spacious shoegaze of Ride‘Escape’ constantly grows in stature. Yet frontman Jack Yates’ voice is never submerged by the wall-of-sound guitars, allowing the band to keep an anthemic edge to their heavyweight soundscape. 

Jack says, “This is a song mindlessly written after a weighty acid trip… ‘She melts in your mouth’… You do the maths.” 


Pastel recorded ‘Escape’ with producer J. Fender, the frontman of fellow Manchester rising stars Afflecks Palace and the founder of both bands’ record label, Spirit of Spike Island. It was mixed by James Kenosha and then mastered by John Davis (The KillersFoalsIDLES) at Metropolis in London.  

J. Fender also filmed the accompanying video for ‘Escape’, which opens with Jack crossing the Humber Bridge before he’s joined one-by-one by the rest of the band. This footage is interspersed by clips of their day at Knebworth Park captured by Sophie Sandor, which includes meeting the Stone Roses legend John Squire. The 9mm gives it an immediately nostalgic vibe, providing evocative flashbacks to Woodstock and Spike Island, but capturing at one of the biggest live music events of 2022

In their short career to date, Pastel have already won some influential admirers. Filmmaker Charlie Lightening was first on board, resulting in him directing the band’s video for ‘BLU’, the band featuring in a Pretty Green ad campaign and also being discovered by Liam Gallagher. Their debut EP ‘Deeper Than Holy’ laid the foundation for a new wave of essential Madchester music. It shot straight to #1 on the UK vinyl chart, having sold all 600 copies of its limited edition 12” in just 90 seconds. Pastel soon gained further attention from BBC 6 MusicRadio X and Soccer AM, while rhythm guitarist James Yates went viral after sharing a photo of him planting a kiss on Louis Tomlinson

Also inspired by bands such as ShackRadioheadThe CharlatansBlossoms and New Order, Pastel are completed by Joe Anderson (lead guitar), Liam O’Shea (bass) and Rhys Wheeler (drums). They’re currently working on their upcoming second EP as well as their debut album. In the meantime, catch Pastel on tour in July and September with Afflecks Palace. The bill is completed by Spirit of Spike Island label mate and fellow Manchester artist Vega Rally

JULY – WITH AFFLECKS PALACE 

27th – Glasgow, King Tuts (SOLD OUT) 

28th – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms 

29th – Manchester, Academy 2 

30th – London, Islington Assembly Hall 

AUGUST 

8th – Leeds, Rewired Festival, The Brudenell Social Club (headliners) 

SEPTEMBER – WITH AFFLECKS PALACE
20th – Oxford, The Bullingdon 

21st – Exeter, The Cavern 

22nd – Swansea, The Bunkhouse 

23rd – Ramsgate, Music Hall 

24th – Bedford, Esquires 

25th – Norwich, The Waterfront