London risers Mouth Ulcers release debut EP ‘Silent Pictures’, out today (July 10th) via LAB Records, accompanied by an official video for their title-track. Emanating from the capital’s shadowy underground, the fast-rising four-piece are redefining modern goth through a lens of post-punk revivalism and cinematic atmosphere.
Formed in 2025 by vocalist/guitarist Zak Watson, alongside Josephine Rose (guitar/vocals), Jamie-Lee Culver (bass), and David Zbirka (drums), the group have quickly evolved from a spontaneous studio experiment into one of the UK’s most talked-about acts.
Blending the stark emotional minimalism of Joy Division with the romantic gloom of The Cure and the angular intensity of Bauhaus, Mouth Ulcers craft a sound built on melodic basslines, wiry guitars, and cavernous baritone vocals, and have already attracted praise across the press landscape from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit, So Young, Rolling Stone UK, Rough Trade, Under The Radar and Louder Than War for EP lead singles ‘Prevail’, ‘Closer To You’ and ‘Space’, as well as significant radio plays including BBC 6 Music (Lauren Laverne, Chris Hawkins, Steve Lamacq, Deb Grant) BBC Radio 1 (Daniel P. Carter), KEXP and Radio X.
Having recently made their live debut with sell-outs shows in the UK and the Netherlands, the quartet are in the midst of a busy summer on , the festival circuit (including a sold-out headliner at London’s Paper Dress Vintage) to coincide with their EP’s arrival. Positioning themselves at the forefront of a new gothic resurgence -one that feels both reverent to the past and urgently contemporary – their ascent has been swift; whilst their aesthetic, rooted in atmosphere, vulnerability, and emotional intensity, suggests a band built for longevity.
Detailing the origins of their EP, Mouth Ulcers explained: “‘Silent Pictures’ explores the first glimpse into the world of Mouth Ulcers. The EP started in July 2025 and the writing and recording finished early 2026, so as time passed each track naturally developed into having its voice and sound. Nostalgia, emotional suppression, vulnerability and obsession are frequent themes throughout the EP, often accompanied by dark atmospheric tension within the music. It’s music for the dark nature that’s lurking beneath the ‘perfect’ world. It marks just the start of how we’d like to start our journey as a band and we hope everyone enjoys listening.’
Upcoming Live Dates
29 JUL – Paper Dress Vintage, London (UK) (sold-out)
14 AUG – District, Liverpool (UK)
29 AUG – Hit The City, Eindhoven (NL)
6 OCT – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh (UK)
7 OCT – Beyond The Music, Manchester (UK)
17 OCT – Neighbourhood Festival, Manchester (UK)
29 OCT – They’re Gonna Be Big Festival, Paris (FR)
30 OCT – Grenswerk, Venlo (NL)
31 OCT – London Calling Festival, Amsterdam (NL)
6 NOV – Kentish Town Forum, London w/ The Mission (UK)
7 NOV – The Warehouse, Leeds (UK)
28 NOV – Post Punk Strikes Back Festival, Porto (PT)
8-11 JAN – Rockaway Beach Festival, Bognor Regis (UK