Seems like the UK underground has gone global. What began in bedrooms and basements now spills into playlists worldwide. Even Malaysia’s youth are tapped into the scene.
The very tracks fuelling the nights in London are finding eager listeners here too, proof of how naturally this scene crosses borders. And yet, for all its rising visibility, the underground still carries a mystique: hyper-local in its references to London streets but universal enough to resonate across oceans.
We’ve seen how US underground names like Xaviersobased and Nettspend have broken into the mainstream over the past year, proving that what starts as a niche can quickly become inescapable. It makes sense then that the UK underground is finding its moment too, though with its own flavour.
The sound we’re witnessing today may be the closest thing to the 2016 SoundCloud era, when Carti and Uzi turned personality into an art form. That era wasn’t just about music, but about creating a universe around it — fashion, slang, even the way people moved online.
The UK underground’s new wave channels that same spirit, but through a distinctly British lens. Fakemink is one of those artists leading the charge — an underground name now breaking into the mainstream, and well deserving of it.
His track Easter Pink went from an underground drop to a viral staple, spawning edits and endless replays. His feature on EsDeeKid’s breakout hit LV Sandals pushed him further into the spotlight — and even caught the eye of Frank Ocean, who recently reposted his cover on The Face magazine to his Instagram story.
Alongside him, artists like Feng and Phreshboyswag are carving their own paths within the scene. Even names outside the UK, like Thrilliam Angels, finds himself pulled into the orbit of London’s underground. The Latvian-based artist, who frequents the city, stands out for experimenting with a more ambient rock sound.
And it isn’t just about the big names. Beyond the viral hits and fast-rising stars are the smaller voices bubbling under, waiting to explode in the same way. Take The Twins, who blend their electroclash sound with their Pakistani roots, weaving South-Asian influences into something that feels both familiar and completely new.
Acts like this may never chase or even want the mainstream spotlight, but their experimentations are what keep the underground alive. It’s a reminder that this is a scene built as much on risk and reinvention as it is on breakout stars.
In the spirit of charting what’s next, Men’s Folio Malaysia curates a playlist of UK underground tracks that span the scene’s different sounds and personalities.