29.10.25
Inspired by the Scottish Album of the Year Awards arriving in Dundee this November, our third edition of Creative Base is handing the mic to a few of the city’s musicians – the singer-songwriters, collective performers and dynamic bands putting Dundee on the music map.
We’ve asked them to share some insights into their work, what it means for them to be making music in Dundee, and what could be improved to ensure a better and brighter future for other musicians in the city. In the spirit of collective working and ‘passing the mic’, we’ve also asked them to share other Dundee musicians whose work they admire, are inspired by, or just think you’d like to know about!
Instagram / Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube
I’d describe my sound as alternative rap, as the tracks blend in elements of indie and rock. I’m lucky to be surrounded by friends who have a bunch of different tastes in music and create a lot of different styles themselves, so it’s easy to incorporate different sounds into my beats.
I’ve been performing since I was a kid, I used to perform at The Shore with my friends in an emo band. I started rapping just over ten years ago, and then began releasing music a while later in 2019.
I began under the name “MC Salum”, released a few singles, then an album once I signed to Big Indie Records. Last year I decided to give myself a fresh start under my new name DD Dragon. Since then I’ve had a sold out headline show which combined wrestling and rapping, performing in an actual ring!! Alongside my bro Merlin we have played in Cologne, Stuttgart, Glasgow and soon Paris! My dream is to tour the world and write songs and that’s what I’m focused on.
Dundee is my home, so I like knowing no matter where I am I have somewhere I love to come back to.
It’s hard to say, but maybe some workshops on how to navigate or begin entering the music industry. It’s tricky working out what you should be aiming for and what you should be spending your money on. With more access to industry experience, artists here could find it easier develop themselves further. It depends on the artist’s goals but having some within the industry to ask questions could be good for younger artists.
I’m a big fan of Do You Like Butter?, they are great live. They have such a good connection with each other and it shows in the music. The Froobz are really exciting as well, their songs have so much energy.
We are Loom, a trio formed in late 2024. We like to make baroque-influenced folk and experiment with found sound and analogue synths. Rehearsals focus heavily around cake. We are made up of Claire Gorman on Casio keyboard, kalimba and vocals, Seth Bennett on double bass and vocals and me (Rachel Simpson) on lead vocals, guitar, kalimba, sampler, cake baking. As we’re quite new we haven’t recorded and released a lot yet, but one of our songs can be heard on For Gaza With Love Vol 1, a beautiful compilation in aid of PalMedAcademy.
Dundee is a pretty brilliant place to make art – I moved here in 2015 and have been singing about and recording that river that I’m lucky enough to see from my window ever since. It’s great for gathering field recordings around here, the river, parks and Tentsmuir down the road have all provided amazing source material over the years. The music and art community around here is small but very welcoming, supportive and encouraging of people trying out anything new.
I think a lack of venues is the perennial problem – I’ve seen lots of lovely places close down over the years (The Reading Rooms, Rad Apples and the recent closure of Blend’s space in Dock St spring to mind but there are tons more). Some support for venues and some proper funding for live music would be a huge help for musicians and a boost to the music scene here too.
The first artist I’d like to share is Mairi Sutherland, she writes ridiculously beautiful folk songs and I’m very excited to hear her perform at the Marryat Hall November 8th.
The second artist is Kimberley Tessa, a jazz vocalist/saxophonist/flautist who plays them all so well that you’d be annoyed if she wasn’t so nice. She’s playing at the Dundee Jazz Festival November 15th and well worth listening to.
I’m a singer-songwriter born in Transylvania and now based in Scotland, where I relocated about three and a half years ago. My musical journey began long ago with traditional songs from the Carpathian Mountains, which I interpret in my own unique way. My performances often include improvisation, shaped by the space and the audience in the moment. I also write my own songs and never perform them quite the same way twice.
I’m currently working towards releasing my first album of original music, hopefully in 2026. In the meantime, I’m enjoying performing live and connecting with new listeners.
I love being part of Dundee’s artistic community. Since moving here, I’ve met so many inspiring artists, and it’s always a joy to share the stage with local musicians and creative minds. The city has such a welcoming and collaborative energy.
It would be wonderful to have more small, intimate venues that suit singer-songwriters who prefer quieter, listening-focused spaces rather than the typical noisy pub scene. I’m definitely one of those artists who thrive in that kind of environment.
I always enjoy listening to Andrew Baird and Ed Muirhead, also Haystack Monolith and Seth Bennett, James Liandu, many more… They are all talented and passionate musicians. Dundee really does have a vibrant and diverse music scene, full of creativity and collaboration.
Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify / YouTube
I’ve been playing and obsessing over music since before my conscious memory kicked in so everything I do relates back to it in some way. I really love songwriting and all the problem solving aspects of it, moving bits around, cutting them off and sellotaping them to other bits to create the sleekest and best tune you can.
I adore more than anything being on stage and showing off, there’s nothing more cathartic than wearing glitter and running around playing over the top guitar solos. So far I’ve released one record ‘In Hell’ with some new recordings I’ve just started to come out next year – I’ve wiped all the soppy stuff off for a big towering mound of rock and/or roll!
I think being a creative in Dundee keeps you level as, though the art and music is there, there isn’t the support or buzz around it that you might find in Glasgow/Edinburgh etc. so to have yourself heard/seen/smelled you have to push it and fight for it that little bit more. When the rest of the world finally acknowledges that there’s a lot going on here I’ll be proud to be somewhere in the big tapestry of talented Dundonians.
Obviously more venues as currently I could count them all on all limbs (not including the big ones that Gary Barlow plays at).
I’d love the scene to a have a bit more support from people outside of it. There seems to be a mentality from my fellow Dundonians that they don’t want to go to a gig unless they know exactly what they’re getting which is surely half the fun? People need to jump in the deep end a bit more.
I’ve been playing some bass recently with a really cool duo Marcel & St John, they’re excellent songwriters who draw heavily from their influences without it being gimmicky, it’s very groovy.
She’s based in Glasgow now but I met her in Dundee so I’ll say Mairi Sutherland. I’m so glad she’s finally putting out more music, really great songwriting and class guitar playing, reminiscent of all the heroes Rolling Stone will inevitably compare her to.
I also should mention milhouse collective who I love being a part of without being the brains behind it as it means I get to enjoy the music and shake my ass like everyone. The world would have 70% less minor 9ths in it without milhouse.
Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify / YouTube
Liam: In our debut album “Slow Burn” we quip,“I’m really just soppy, romantic and lame. I’ll sing you a song with no commercial gain”.
Aside from trying to sound clever, this sentiment has become somewhat of an informal mantra. Our aim was to produce an album that could be filed under the “heartbreak” category. More recently, we have found that in embracing our fondness for the love song, the scope of our writing can be widened to include a love of life itself. If we happen to make a few bucks on the side, I suppose that’s ok too…
Jamie: Pursuing our creative projects here in Dundee allows us to build community around our music. Our Sunday Songwriters Showcase at The Bank Bar has seen great talent come through its doors and put names to the familiar faces of the great artists and musos that make up the city. Dundee’s unique quality is that it’s small enough to find the support to create art but big enough for people to appreciate it. Venturing outwards to play music in bigger cities is always every musician’s goal but Dundee is our creative home and the undeniable talent here is what makes it.
Liam: Artists in this country get little help from the money men. To be successful, Dundonian artists must promote each other. I am consistently impressed at the levels of enthusiasm this city has for original music. There is no shortage of talent in Dundee. If your friend has a gig, go and see them play. You can always catch the Bon Jovi tribute act next time. I have often thought Dundee looks prettiest from the inside looking outwards, but it definitely sounds best while leaning in.
Jamie:
Andrew Baird (Patchworks): Andrew has been very active in music based community projects all over Dundee. He runs a creative songwriters workshop at Cake or Dice and has gigged all over town at community clubs and charity events. He was also the inspiration behind our Sunday Songwriters Showcase in that we stole the idea from him. Truly a man of the people.
James Liandu: From busking and gigging all over town, entertaining punters with congenial covers and captivating sophisticates with stellar originals, James has consistently worked to make Dundee a more vibrant and musical place.
Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify / TikTok / YouTube
Osmara is a retro rock/funk band, who have been playing together for just under a year, performing across Scotland and into England. In February 2025, we released a series of demos onto YouTube and Bandcamp, called the Livingroom Tapes. The EP consists of three acoustic songs, recorded by Joel Smurthwaite. In March, we released our first single on all platforms, called Ray Gun. On the 29th of October we are releasing our second single, The Deep Red.
We’ve had a lot of great experiences in Dundee over the last year, making lots of cool friends in other bands. It’s amazing to find such an enthusiastic community of musicians.
Music is such a staple in Dundee but the venue industry is clearly struggling at the moment. Maybe government funding into the arts would help support some of these small businesses, who provide a rich culture to Dundee, and have been for a long time.
The Triple As are the band in which our drummer Angus Duncan plays guitar. They are a band who have been around a little longer than us, who all play incredibly well together as a unit, making their live performances really energetic. We recommend them to anyone who likes funk rock.
Arrogant Swan is a duo in which Keir Jeffrey, our singer, plays with Shane Franks. They play a mixture of alternative folk, jazz and country. Instruments played in the band include banjo (sorry) , acoustic guitar, mandolin, electric guitar.
Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify
I write songs about nature, everyday events and people I meet. I like to create stories from personal experiences and I’m inspired by musicians who have distinctive styles and share part of their character. I enjoy wordplay and poetry and my songs are centred on lyrics and vocal expression. I work with specific themes for each project and at the moment I’m recording a nature themed EP and learning folk songs from different cultures. I’ve been writing and performing original songs for around three years and release acoustic versions of my favourites on Bandcamp and other streaming platforms.
Dundee is my home town and it’s a place I feel comfortable in. To me it feels like a village and I like that you can’t walk through town without bumping into somebody’s cousin. I think that Dundee is a good base and learn most about performing and creating when I visit new places or listen to unfamiliar artists and come back with new ideas.
I think that it would be helpful to have open access to creative spaces which encourage original music. I’d particularly like to see people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds playing their own music in the same space because I think that this would encourage learning and creativity. I think that we need environments that feel safe for everyone and are distanced from the entertainment industry. This would encourage people to take creative risks and make the local scene more diverse.
I would like to mention Ed Muirhead who is a great advocate of original music from Dundee. He is an experienced songwriter and performer who spends lots of time promoting others and sharing his skills.
I’d also like to mention David Webster, a singer-songwriter from Dundee with great taste and a soulful voice. Dave has a lot of time for people and works on interesting music projects in the community. I first heard quite a few of my favourite songs at his long running open mic night at the Bank Bar.
Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify / TikTok / SoundCloud
I write songs about nature, everyday events and people I meet. I like to create stories from personal experiences and I’m inspired by musicians who have distinctive styles and share part of their character. I enjoy wordplay and poetry and my songs are centred on lyrics and vocal expression. I work with specific themes for each project and at the moment I’m recording a nature themed EP and learning folk songs from different cultures. I’ve been writing and performing original songs for around three years and release acoustic versions of my favourites on Bandcamp and other streaming platforms.
My family and I moved to Dundee when I was 17. Dundee has a varied music scene with lots of interesting artists and bands. It’s definitely a good place to start out as there’s lots of people who are happy to help you and it’s very easy to meet other creatives like photographers and digital artists.
As an independent musician, I’d like to see more opportunities for live gigs. There is definitely a good open mic night scene in Dundee but I don’t think there are many opportunities for new bands to display their work in more established venues. I also think musicians in Dundee would benefit from having some kind of community where they can discuss upcoming opportunities, points of interest and contacts.
I recently started listening to a band called Cat’s Cradle from Dundee. I really love their ethereal sound and the visuals they’ve created. They’re definitely a band I’d like to see live at some point.
I also really admire a band called Osmara. I saw them live in March and thought they were just incredible. I loved the energy that the band had as a group. I think it’s really wonderful watching musicians having fun whilst also putting on a great performance.
Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify / YouTube
milhouse as a collective has been kicking around since 2019, featuring a rotating cast of Tayside musos with a carefree attitude and a penchant for improv. We’ve got a long history of running smelly Perth Road basement jams, folk use words like jazz and funk but we wouldn’t invite your gran.
We don’t release music but occasionally it does ooze down and out the studio pipes, only for the local townsfolk to gather it up and insist on feeding it to their young. So we figured might as well stick it up on Bandcamp too.
As they say, Dundee is the worlds biggest village, which means if you’re in the right place at the right time, and 6-10 musos are feeling particularly lucky, and 4 out of 5 are ready for the chord changes to be screamed at random, you could be on to a winner. Sincerely though, we’ve never been too fussed about anywhere else. When it’s at its best the local scene is really close-knit and supportive, and with it being such a student town there’s a solid influx of culture from the other major Scottish cities, just without as many silly outfits. What more could we ask for?
Without a doubt support for the younger generation. In terms of bands, there used to be weekly music workshops with monthly events for young bands to work towards, now the Tayside youth are lucky to get a few days in the school holidays. The opportunities afforded to us and our peers as young musicians motivated us, shaped us, and set us up for success as we all stepped into the adult gigging world. It’s a shame that we can’t seem to give the next generation the same opportunities.
Shout-outs have to go to Portable Heads and Theo Bleak, two local acts making some of our favourite music. We hear Connor Liam Byrne is cooking up a tasty new glitter-induced single too…
But most of all we’d love to mention Lexi Campbell, who passed away tragically in 2022. A true friend to so many, and a pivotal and influential figure in the local scene while we were graced to have her with us. We’ll be celebrating Lexi’s life and music at a fantastic fundraiser organised by her close friends and family, Lexfest on Sat 8 Nov at Music Hall Dundee (aka Church). We encourage you to listen to Lexi’s words and music.
Huge thanks to everyone for taking the time to share with us! Don’t miss our other Creative Base features, spotlighting more of the talented folks who have made Dundee their creative home.
Find out more about Dundee’s creative scene in our Collectives in the City series exploring the city’s grassroots creative projects and organisations, shop local with our Makers Gift Guides, or browse our blogs for more in depth insights from the city’s creative practitioners.
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
