UK Punk Upstart Rat Boy Signs To Dune Rats' Label

Ascendant teenage punk prodigy Rat Boy (real name Jordan Cardy) has been picked up by Ratbag Records, the record company founded by Brisbane stoner-rockers Dune Rats.

2015 was a huge year for the 19-year-old Essex-based artist, cutting his teeth on venue and festival stages alike, even nabbing the attention of Blur drummer Dave Rowntree and earning buzz from several UK outlets, including NME. The stalwart British music press describe Rat Boy as "early Arctic Monkeys [meets] Jamie T."

This seems perfect for the Ratbag Records crew, whose other signing, Byron Bay stoner-punk three-piece Skegss, have been making waves since their inclusion in the Splendour In The Grass lineup via way of triple j Unearthed.

Dune Rats vocalist/guitarist Danny Beusa said in a statement: "We’re super stoked to announce Essex nutter Rat Boy has joined the Ratbag family! Can't wait to get them down here!"

Dunies bassist Brett Jansch is similarly effusive, saying: "We already frothed the tunes when we first heard them, but seeing the live footage from recent shows made us fucking keen to see them play out here to a bunch of ratbag cunts.”

Rat Boy is currently touring the UK for the 2016 NME Awards Tour with Bloc Party, Drenga and Bugzy Malone, and will have a string of UK headline dates in the first half of 2016.

His new single, Move, is available to stream now and will be on sale in March.