Pebbledash are quickly becoming a band you hear once and immediately want to dig deeper into and with “Cartography,” they’ve dropped something that feels truly fresh and exciting. I’ve had this one on repeat and with each listen you discover something new.
Right from the start, “Cartography” grabs you. It opens sharply with a winding instrumental intro before the vocals kick in. Just as you settle into the calm, it flips becoming this fast-paced, almost conversational delivery that still somehow flows seamlessly with the earlier softness. It’s such a clever contrast, and it keeps the song constantly moving, constantly evolving.
What really stood out to me was just how good the instrumental is on this track. Those guitars never stop building. It starts off subtle and gradually becomes more layered and intense, guiding the entire track forward. You also get this interplay between the vocals, especially as that conversational style returns later in the track, with harmonies that sneak in and out like echoes of a thought. It feels messy in a really intentional and honest way, like the inside of someone’s head when they’re anxious or overstimulated, which makes total sense when you learn the lyrics were inspired by a day spent grappling with anxiety.
I think what I love most about “Cartography” is that you can tell it was made with instinct rather than overthinking. This track only took one vocal take, recorded in just a few hours, and it works. There’s a moment near the end where the guitar distorts slightly before everything crescendos into this celebratory ending that suddenly drops back into a stripped-back outro. It feels like finally catching your breath after a long, spiralling thought. Given the meaning behind the track, that struck me as quite powerful.
As a follow-up to “Asha’s Waltz,” this track shows a different side of the band. I believe this is one of those tracks that’ll mean something different depending on where you’re at in your own head when you hear it. And that’s the kind of songwriting that’s authentic.
If this is a sign of what’s to come on their tour, I’m sure those dates are going to be amazing.
Speaking of tour dates we’ve listed below where you can see Pebbledash live, with more dates still to be announced.
“Cartography” gets its self a nice 7.5 out of 10
Pebbledash – “Of Seaweed and Sandstone” Tour Dates:
04.07.25 – The Shacklewell Arms, London
22.09.25 – Strange Brew, Bristol (So Young Tour)
23.09.25 – The Joiners, Southampton (So Young Tour)
25.09.25 – The Adrian Flux Waterfront Studio, Norwich (So Young Tour)
26.09.25 – Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds (So Young Tour)
27.09.25 – Yes Pink Room, Manchester (So Young Tour)
29.09.25 – Patterns, Brighton (So Young Tour)
30.09.25 – Moth Club, London (So Young Tour)
06.11.25 – Cyprus Avenue, Cork
07.11.25 – Workman’s Club, Dublin
08.11.25 – Voodoo, Belfast
12.11.25 – Servant’s Jazz Quarters, London
15.11.25 – Castle Hotel, Manchester
16.11.25 – The Attic, Leeds
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography
Artwork credit: Fionnbharr Hickey