South Arcade Releases Explosive New EP ‘PLAY!’ Ahead of Massive 2026 Festival Circuit
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Editorial Dept.
South Arcade bring their most assured and panoramic sound to date with new five-track EP PLAY!, featuring lead singles “FEAR OF HEIGHTS” and the Radio 1 hit “Supermodels.” The release of the timely EP is supported by the band’s biggest ever UK and Ireland tour and is set to further propel them into the spotlight before massive 2026 festival slot at the likes of Download, TRNSMT and more. Written predominantly on the road, PLAY! is a triumphant showcase of the evolving emotional range and genre-blending of the band, and they make a striking statement in the alt-pop world.
According to a press release from South Arcade’s management, PLAY! is out now via BKM Artists and LAB Records in partnership with Atlantic Records.
Stream/Listen to Play:
PLAY! features their latest singles, “FEAR OF HEIGHTS” and Radio 1 favorite “Supermodels,” as well as “Drive Myself Home“. Mixed by Adam Hawkins, the EP also features two unheard songs, “Bleed Out“ and “Blood Run Warm.” Standing out as an anthem, “Bleed Out“ has razor-sharp melodies and an explosive ending. “Blood Run Warm” was featured as the Hottest Record on Radio 1’s New Music Show with Jack Saunders and offers vulnerability and reflection, showing an alternative side to the four-piece. It’s heartfelt yet simultaneously haunting, serving as a testament to the band’s growing emotional depth.
Speaking of the EP, the band said, “PLAY! is an EP almost entirely written on the road whilst we have been out touring this year! So the tracks on this have definitely been inspired by what we think the crowds will like live and what we think people will like in our future sets. It’s a super fun EP and definitely shows us trying more genres that exist within the Y2K sphere and can’t wait to hear what people think! The title came from the idea of playing all these shows back to back and keeping the energy up! Whilst also toying with the idea of pressing play on a movie or playing video games which is what life has kinda felt like for all of us at the minute!”
PLAY! comes during the band’s biggest UK and Ireland tour to date, where they have played some of their largest headline shows, including London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town tonight. South Arcade are rising at an incredible rate and are showing no signs of slowing down. They have been announced to be a part of huge festival line-ups in 2026, including iconic rock festival Download alongside headliners Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park, as well as a slot at TRNSMT Festival.
Watch the video for “Fear of Heights” – One of the songs in the Play EP by South Arcade:
This past fall saw the band sell out their entire debut headline tour in the US, featuring stops in NYC, LA, Chicago, and more, and perform a stand-out set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. In addition to selling out their UK headline tour earlier this year, the band also played to huge crowds at Slam Dunk and Radio 1’s Big Weekend. Following a riotous headline set on the BBC Introducing stage in 2024, they were invited back onto the main stage at Reading & Leeds in August, sharing the stage with the likes of Limp Bizkit and Bring Me The Horizon.
A force to be reckoned with, South Arcade have found a huge following across their social media with over 19.3 million likes on TikTok and a rapidly growing YouTube following after gaining popularity with videos of their rehearsals and live stage antics. With over 1.5 million monthly listeners, last year’s EP, 2005, now has over 50 million streams on Spotify alone and includes tracks “stone cold summer“, “MOTH KIDS“, and “HOW 2 GET AWAY WITH MURDER.”
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