Man/Woman/Chainsaw – Get Up And Dance

London's most unpredictable young band deliver another intoxicating preview of Cannonball, balancing spectral beauty with thrilling, orchestral indie-rock ambition.

Story by Isaac Bradley

10/07/2026

Man/Woman/Chainsaw continue to build irresistible momentum, delivering another thrilling taste of Cannonball with a single that balances menace, melody and magnificent ambition.

Few young British bands sound quite as fearless as Man/Woman/Chainsaw, and with Get Up And Dance, the London six-piece deliver another compelling glimpse of their forthcoming debut album Cannonball. Rather than offering the euphoric indie anthem its title might suggest, the track twists expectation into something darker, stranger and infinitely more captivating. Opening with ghostly, almost whistling synths that feel as though they're drifting in from another room, Get Up And Dance immediately establishes an unsettling atmosphere. It's a beautifully deceptive introduction before Emmie-Mae Avery's lead vocal arrives, floating delicately above the arrangement with an intimacy that slowly draws you in. As the song unfolds, chiming guitars, sweeping strings and pulsing rhythms gather momentum, transforming the track into something genuinely exhilarating without ever sacrificing its eerie charm. It's the first time Avery has taken centre stage on a Man/Woman/Chainsaw single, and she proves a magnetic focal point. Her vocal performance perfectly complements a song built around shifting power dynamics, inspired by a dancefloor encounter where playful flirtation gradually becomes a test of ego and intent. That lyrical tension feeds directly into the music, which constantly teeters between vulnerability and confrontation. Recorded with producers Seth Evans and Margo Broom, the single continues the remarkable run that has already seen Only Girl, Nosedive, Goddamn, Lizard Man! and Adam & Steve steadily raise expectations for Cannonball. The production is expansive without becoming cluttered, allowing the band's trademark collision of post-punk energy, orchestral flourishes and experimental indie rock to breathe naturally. There are fleeting moments that even recall the playful vocal phrasing of Lily Allen, but only in passing before the band disappear into territory entirely their own. It's this refusal to settle into familiar patterns that continues to make Man/Woman/Chainsaw such an exciting proposition. With Cannonball now just around the corner, every preview has suggested a debut that's prepared to ignore convention in favour of imagination. Get Up And Dance is no exception. It's dramatic, hypnotic and endlessly inventive, confirming that Man/Woman/Chainsaw aren't merely another promising new guitar band - they're rapidly becoming one of the UK's most fascinating emerging acts, with the confidence and creativity to justify every ounce of the growing hype surrounding them.