Chalk - Crystalpunk Chalk

We’ve been soaking up the intense energy of this Irish duo’s industrial dance-punk via their 3 Conditions EPs and at their galvanizing live shows – so we had to get heavily involved in their long-awaited & aptly titled debut, Crystalpunk. 

 For the uninitiated, Chalk mainlines the reaction between genres, eras, and cultures, commuting this collision into their sound. The Belfast group could comfortably power an underground warehouse party after-dark, incite a midday festival mosh-pit, or shake an arena on any given evening. Their power has seamlessly translated to the stage with the group packing venues and delivering alternately sweaty and electrifying performances to a growing rabid fan base.

6Music recently announced Chalk on their Next Up list, which shines a light on 8 rising talents who they're predicting big things from in 2026. They’re very much on our hotlist, too. Get involved!

“This record is us waving a flag for that generation — the ones who inherited confusion, resilience, and a fractured sense of self.” They’re waving that flag as intensely as possible too. For the uninitiated, Chalk mainlines the reaction between genres, eras, and cultures, commuting this collision into their sound. The Belfast group could comfortably power an underground warehouse party after-dark, incite a mid-day festival mosh-pit, or shake an arena on any given evening. Their power has seamlessly translated to the stage with the group packing venues and delivering alternately sweaty and electrifying performances to a growing rabid fan base. As a group, they've sold out shows across the UK, EU and USA, notched festival performances such as Glastonbury, SXSW, BBK, Trans Musicals and more across 11 countries and were handpicked to tour alongside IDLES and Fontaines D.C..

Coming from dissimilar backgrounds and rallying together naturally, Ben and Ross first crossed paths in film school. As the story goes, Ben had noticed a framed poster of Dublin disruptors Gilla Band in one of Ross’s Instagram photos and felt a kinship before ever actually speaking to him. “Nobody else at our school was into experimental noise guitar bands, so that was all I needed to see,” laughs Ben. Emerging in 2022, Chalk initially made waves with songs like “Them,” “Velodrome,” and “Static.”

In 2025, the guys hit the studio in Donegal with producer and longtime creative cohort Chris W Ryan to bring Crystalpunk to life. Documenting youth and living fully in their process allowed the band to create their most immersive piece to date.

Ultimately, they come-of-age and tell a story that resonates beyond borders. Not just a portrait of the band, but one of their home, a complicated place where the sacrifices made and risks taken by activists, artists, ravers and punks created the only environment that a band like Chalk could emerge from. Crystalpunk is not about choosing a side, it’s about choosing the future.

For Fans Of: Fontaines D.C. | Nine Inch Nails | Depeche Mode | Underworld | IDLES | YARD | Makeshift Art Bar