Brighton-based duo set to release second album

ARXX is formed of singer Hanni Pidduck and drummer Clara Townsend.

Good Boy is out on Friday and they will be playing at Resident in Kensignton Gardens, Brighton, that day.

Clara was born in Brighton but grew up abroad before moving back to the city for university. Hanni also came to Brighton for university but didn’t meet Clara until after graduating.

Clara said: “We were both in different bands playing on the Brighton gig scene. Hanni’s drummer moved away so they asked if I knew anyone who’d be interested – and I said I wanted to. I later found out I was the only one who auditioned. We’ve been living in Brighton for 14 years now, this is our home. We’re the best of friends. We have been playing together for seven and a half years now - it’s our whole life and we’re very dedicated to it.”

Swim, one of the tracks on the album, is inspired by Hanni’s experience of coming out as non-binary last year.

Hanni said: “The song is a love letter to my younger self – I thought about what I would like to have heard. I wanted to commemorate the experience I’ve had of being older and create a space to embrace that. In turn, hopefully we create that space at our gigs. We have a lot of queer fans and they’re really important to us."

ARXX say the new album is their queerest yet (Image: ARXX)

ARXX have written five songs for multi-BAFTA award winning writer Sally Wainwright’s new drama Riot Women, a “very exciting” project they are finally able to discuss after keeping secret for months.

Clara said: “We got a message from someone on Instagram saying she was working for the show and wanted to put us forward. We didn’t think it was a real message for a while. Eventually we did the demo – we thought it was a great opportunity but never thought we’d get it."

The duo will start a five-week tour on October 12 which they will round off with a show on November 23 at Concorde 2 in Brighton.