UK-based four-piece Airways formed almost by accident. While crashing on his manager’s couch during a writing trip to Los Angeles, singer/songwriter Jake Daniels crossed paths with Chicago native Brian Moroney, who was staying in the same house while on a tour of the US as a drummer.
The two hit it off immediately, and half in jest, Daniels invited Moroney to the UK to help start a band.
It wasn’t two months later that Moroney rocked up on Daniels’ doorstep in Peterborough, north-west of London, ready to begin. Daniels’ longtime friend Alex Ruggerio jumped in on guitar and Birmingham musician Jaime Reynolds filled in on bass, and suddenly Airways was born.
UK quartet Airways’ gritty, quintessentially British sound has the band drawing comparisons to acts like Arctic Monkeys, Blur and Jamie T.
Airways’ first single, Ghost Town, was released in 2016, the band bravely taking it upon themselves to manage PR and distribution. The reception initially came as a shock.
The track went off with a bang, and critics hailed their fresh and exciting sound as something not dissimilar to Arctic Monkeys, Gorillaz and Jamie T.
Airways’ debut EP Starting to Spin cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting bands to emerge from the UK in recent years.
Since then they’ve embarked on a number of high-profile support tours with the likes of Nothing But Thieves and The Xcerts, and have racked up over seven million listens on Spotify.
Airways’ latest single Alien details the band’s efforts to visit the US in order to play at SXSW, only to be turned away by a freshly elected Trump and his strict border protection policies. Watch the video below.
Aliens was produced by Nothing But Thieves guitarist Dom Craik. The track, which opens with eerie synths and quickly escalates to heavy guitars, is powerfully dynamic and underlines the ability that the band clearly possesses.
The latest release shows a natural progression of Airways, too; in the few years they have been active, the band’s talent and sonic maturity have increased in leaps and bounds.
Airways have no plans to make their way down under just yet, but watch this space. We’re hoping the band comes out sooner rather than later, so we can catch them before they blow up.
Aliens is out now.
