As the soaring popularity of newcomers Wet Leg demonstrates, there is a real appetite right now for music that simply makes people feel happy.
The Isle of Wight duo aren't reinventing the wheel and their sound can hardly be described as revolutionary, but their music is good fun, not to mention incredibly catchy.
And the same could said of Dutch quartet Pip Blom, whose riff-heavy tracks are taken to a whole new level when performed live, as their set at Bristol's Trinity Centre demonstrated on Monday evening.
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Full of youthful vigour, non-stop frenetic energy, their show was the perfect antidote to a dreary Monday evening - and their music is the tonic we all need for the somewhat depressing times we find ourselves in.
The indie rockers followed up their 2019 debut album Boat with Welcome Break at the back end of last year, which saw them further develop their songwriting prowess and sound, particularly on tracks such as the ultimate feel-good hit Keep It Together and You Don't Want This .
And unsurprisingly, these are the tracks that went down best at Trinity Centre, alongside older favourites such as School - which has a riff reminiscent of Nirvana's work running through its core - and the quite brilliant Daddy Issues, which ensures the set finishes on a triumphant high.
In addition to their sound, there is also something very likable about the band's stage presence. They clearly relish playing on stage together and their somewhat clumsy interactions between songs - a juxtaposition to their tight musicianship - only adds to the overall enjoyment of the performance.
With a number of festival shows and headline performances under their belt already, not to mention an ever-growing back catalogue jam-packed with certified bangers, Pip Blom are very much a band to watch.
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