Resistance, the latest single from UK band Bureau de Change, doesn’t ask politely—it storms in, unapologetic and pounding, heart racing with intent. It’s hard-hitting and resolute, a track that snarls with purpose yet moves with clarity, like a protest march that won’t be silenced. Behind its distortion and grit lies something deeper: a call to reclaim joy as an act of defiance.
Drawing a wry mirror to IDLES’ Joy as an Act of Resistance, Bureau de Change flips the phrase inward. Here, Resistance is not a burden but a celebration—of voice, of conviction, of standing tall when everything conspires to bend you low. The song pulses with the urgency of protest, shaped by a landscape where speaking out comes with penalties, where peace is policed, and where women’s voices are too often lost in the noise of dismissal.
It’s in that space—between rage and resilience—that the track finds its footing. It doesn’t just demand change; it exalts the right to demand it. The guitars roar, the drums thunder, and beneath it all, a fierce vulnerability beats steadily forward.
This is not just a song—it’s a flare in the dark, a reminder that resistance, when laced with joy, is a force impossible to mute. When Bureau de Change take the stage supporting Knives at Thekla on May 10th, expect more than sound—expect fire.
Review by Thomas Imposter