Carne x Rankd

Sundown grunge meets alternative for a rough and ready 90's revival

Joining the dots between four local scene connoisseurs, Carne is the brainchild of Carmen Mellino (Vocals/Guitar), Milo Hill (Guitar/Backing Vocals), Emia Demir (Bass) and Joe McTaggart (Drums). Resurrecting the iconic chaos-led sounds of the 90’s grunge movement pioneered by the likes of PJ Harvey and The Smashing Pumpkins, their own experimental allure is delivered in the form of their debut single ‘J.U.M’, released back in April ’25 – a wall-rattling anthem ready to put the four-piece in the spotlight.

Carne invoke a striking energy from the first chord and sustain a hypnotic charm conveyed through punchy beats and thorn-filled guitar-led energy. Intertwining with the forces of Carmen Mellino’s (formally of Belmondo) familiar yet refreshed vocal delivery, ‘J.U.M’ (Junked Up Murder) is overflowing with a nostalgic grunge overtone for a new generation. Despite only emerging back in January, the quartet have been swooped up by local promotors and earnt themselves a deserving spot on this years ‘The Great Escape’ festival, one of many notable achievements set to skyrocket Carne towards a prosperous 2025.

Supported by the mixing and mastering wizardry of Jag Jago (The Maccabees, Jamie T) and Kurt Martinez (Soft Play, Pixies), Carne have pulled out all the stops to capture their complex sound to the highest quality, a small yet mighty essence of a well-carved foundation to who ‘Carne’ are, and their blazing agenda of sundown grunge and somber alternative fury that hasn’t gone amiss in the grassroots circle.

With a string of upcoming dates through May (and a 90’s MTV themed DJ set on May 10th at Brighton’s Rossi Bar), Carne are ascending to new heights and ‘J.U.M’ is the first cog in a musical powerhouse that shows no sign of slowing down. Expect low-end rumbles rippling across the venue with purpose-built instrumentation to complement a feeling of fast-paced uneasiness conveyed visually and lyrically. 

'The 90’s may have come to an end but the spirit is still burning in 2025. A new quartet from Brighton emerges, a band forged from the melancholy, chaos and bold creativity of that era.'

As noted by the band – ‘J.U.M is the idea of not finding the right people for you in a certain environment. Giving your true self to the wrong people and not understanding why people don’t get attached back to you’, a feeling conveyed through lyricism covering themes of unfamiliarity, discomfort and alienation – ‘The city’s full of common creatures I don’t recognise’.

‘J.U,M’ is OUT NOW on Silent Cult and can be streamed here!