Start Listening To: Kissing On Camera

On finding their footing, writing from the mundane, and why triple chocolate Lidl cookies are currently undefeated.

Blending the emotional grit of early 2000s emo with the jagged edges of post-hardcore, Kissing On Camera are carving out a space of their own in London’s DIY scene. Though originally from Dublin, the band’s sound and identity solidified after frontperson Josh’s move across the Irish Sea, a shift that sparked a wave of introspective songwriting and gave birth to their debut EP Baby Names. Raw, melodic and deeply personal, the EP captures the band at a pivotal moment: messy, searching, and ready to be heard.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

We’re Kissing on Camera, a band from Dublin, living in London. We make music that sits somewhere between post-hardcore and emo.

Your debut EP Baby Names is out today. How does it feel to finally have it out in the world?

Yeah it feels really good to have the EP out. Even though we haven't been a band for that long, some of these songs have been written for years so it's really cool to see them in final form and out of my hands. It's important to me to release all these slightly older songs to kind of set the scene before we start putting out the stuff I'm currently writing. I think it's nice to have that context in a project—I appreciate it anyways, as a listener.

Josh, you mentioned the move to London sparked a new wave of songwriting. What was it about that change of environment that brought on the creative shift?

Yeah I think when I was living in Dublin I wasn't entirely sure what kind of music I wanted to make. I was producing and playing in bands with/for some really talented friends of mine for a few years, and although that made me feel inspired I found it hard to find my own sort of identity in my solo projects. I guess when I moved to London, I left all of my equipment and instruments at home and just brought over a little acoustic guitar with me. That pushed me to start writing songs on the guitar again instead of looking at a computer and a DAW all the time. Also moving to the city is hard, so I guess I felt pretty emo at the time lol.

You’ve said this is the first real representation of the band. What do you think listeners will understand about Kissing On Camera after hearing this EP?

I'm not really sure how people will take it—I just hope they enjoy it and relate to some of the stuff I talk about.

“Just A Kid” offers a softer moment on the record. Was it important to include that kind of emotional range on your debut?

Yeah it was definitely important to show a softer side. I love making loud music, but I also listen to a lot of folk stuff and love writing that type of thing. I don't know if KOC will be playing folk anytime soon, but you can definitely hear the influence in some of our songs. I always wanted to include "Just a Kid" on our first project—I wrote it when I very first moved here so it feels pretty sentimental.

The EP feels deeply personal, even when tackling seemingly mundane experiences. How do you approach turning small, everyday moments into something powerful or cathartic?

Most of my writing comes from my own experiences, but a lot of the stuff I feel is pretty common for people in their early adulthood. I think everyone’s just trying to figure it out, even if it doesn’t always seem that way. I like writing songs about seemingly unimportant things. I think there's a lot to be said about the small, mundane moments—that's what life looks like most of the time.

You’ve drawn comparisons to bands like Title Fight and Alex G. Are there any unexpected influences behind these songs that people might not guess?

Yeah I think I draw a lot of influences from softer music. Lyric writing especially—Andy Shauf is one of my biggest inspirations for that. His storytelling is amazing, especially on his album The Party. Other artists like Babehoven and The Barns have inspired me a lot too, even though the music they make is so different to us.

You’ve built up a presence on the London live circuit pretty quickly. How have those early gigs shaped the band or the way you approach performing?

It was really important to us to play as many shows as we could before we recorded anything. I think it's really important for a band at the start of their career—seeing how certain songs work live and how the audience reacts can decide a lot. It was hard at the start for sure, even just getting gigs was a struggle, but I definitely think it was worth it. We’re all really confident in our live performance now.

You’ve played with acts like Punchlove, Tummyache and Boston Manor. Have any of those shows changed how you think about your own sound or direction?

Yeah just playing with people who have been around longer or are more successful is really cool. It shows it's possible but also that it's never going to be super easy.

There’s a really raw energy in your songs, especially in tracks like “Tag, You’re It.” How do you strike the balance between chaos and melody?

I don’t think too much about balancing chaos and melody — it usually just happens in the process. I like things to feel a bit rough, but still catchy enough to stick. If it sounds a little raw but you can still hum it, then that’s probably the sweet spot.

What’s the story behind the EP title Baby Names? Does it connect to a specific track or moment from the writing process?

The title Baby Names felt fitting since this is our first release from a new project. I think I also just liked the sound of it. It’s not really tied to one specific track, it's more about the whole thing. Like naming a baby—kinda giving something new a bit of identity, if that makes sense.

Some lyrics touch on growing up and the complications that come with it. Do you see this EP as a coming-of-age record in any way?

It's a bit of a coming-of-age record, yeah. The music is kind of nostalgic in a way—we’re definitely inspired by all the early 2000s emo stuff.

What do you love right now?

Music-wise I’ve been really into artists like Cameron Winter, Wild Pink, Fourth Street, This Is Lorelei. I also found this band last night called Insider Trading, they're from Edinburgh I think. They're awesome, I've been listening to them all day. I'm also loving the triple chocolate cookies that sit out all day in Lidl. And rewatching How To With John Wilson.

What do you hate right now?

I hate the new lids for plastic bottles. I know they are good for the environment, which is great obviously, but they're so annoying and don't really let you sip from the bottle properly. I try to take them off sometimes but they usually leave a sharp bit of plastic behind, which is also annoying. Also not loving my incredibly loud neighbours.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

Probably have to say This Is It by The Strokes. I think that was the first good album I listened to. I always end up coming back to it and probably always will.

Now that the debut is out, what’s next for Kissing On Camera? More writing, more touring, or just enjoying the release for a bit?

Yeah we've got Outbreak Fest in Manchester in like 2 weeks, which is very cool. Then a couple more gigs this summer, but mainly recording/writing. I've got a lot of songs I wanna get out there asap, so hopefully that happens.