Back to the Roots, Forward Into Fire: KROOKED TONGUE Explore Home, Growth, and Grit on “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan”

KROOKED TONGUE 2025 Press Shot - COVER PHOTO

With an infectious blend of alt-rock swagger and heartfelt honesty, Bristol-based trio KROOKED TONGUE return with their electrifying new single “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan.” The track is the latest glimpse into their highly anticipated debut album, due out in early 2026, and it serves as both a nostalgic look back and a fearless push forward. Drawing from fuzz-soaked guitar tones, explosive live energy, and frontman Oli Rainsford’s introspective lyrics, “Sun Tan” unpacks the emotional complexity of revisiting your roots while reaching for something more.

Produced by longtime collaborator Josh Gallop (Sergeant Thunderhoof, Mother Vulture, Phoxjaw), the song layers muscular riffs with lyrical clarity, balancing themes of comfort, dislocation, and self-discovery. As a follow-up to previous singles like “Marigold” and “Nothing Ever Grows,” the track expands KROOKED TONGUE’s sonic landscape, venturing further into indie and cinematic territories without losing the band’s gritty backbone.

It’s a progression built on years of evolution—from the high-octane release of “When the Beaches Bleed” to the surf-rock tension explored in our 2022 feature highlighting the song’s turbulent energy. Each release has pushed their sound further, paving the way for the introspective yet explosive spirit of “Sun Tan.”

We caught up with KROOKED TONGUE to dive into the meaning behind “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan,” the emotional pull of hometown memories, the freedom of artistic experimentation, and how their live shows and global touring experiences are shaping the music to come.

INFRARED MAG: Let’s start at the top—what made “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan” the right single to tease your debut album, and what does it represent about this next chapter for Krooked Tongue?

KROOKED TONGUE: I think it personifies what we’ve come to be about as a band. Telling stories in a way that are relatable and putting out tunes that are above anything, fun. “Sun Tan” kind of acts as a spearhead for what’s next, especially following this path in a more indie direction.

That desire to evolve while staying true to their roots echo’s themes discussed in our 2021 exclusive interview with vocalist Oli Rainsford, where he reflected on the band’s formation, early sound, and creative vision—a foundation now expanded upon in “Sun Tan.”

INFRARED MAG: You’ve mentioned the song was inspired by returning to your hometown and seeing how little had changed. How did that visit shape the lyrics and emotional tone of the track?

KROOKED TONGUE: It’s something I think we can all attest to in some way or another. Wanting to get out from under the cloak of ‘what you know’ and venture into the unknown. Even though I find myself constantly longing for more adventure, 100mph; I think “Sun Tan’s” message is one that ultimately is a commentary on staying grounded. I miss those simpler times often. I miss those people a lot and heading back to your hometown brings back a lot of memories that are almost all positive.

INFRARED MAG: The title itself—“You Don’t Need A Sun Tan”—is such a vivid, almost poetic phrase. What does it symbolize in the context of the song?

KROOKED TONGUE: The line at its core is a message of reassurance. Some words of encouragement to tell you that you can do anything you want to do in life. Without any criteria or limitations, or perceived requirements. The world is yours if you make it so.

INFRARED MAG: There’s a balance of comfort and discomfort in revisiting your roots. How did you aim to capture that emotional push-and-pull in the songwriting and arrangement?

KROOKED TONGUE: Well said aye. For me personally, it’s always a positive experience. I had a great time growing up there and I had an amazing bunch of pals to make a ton of memories with. But I’m aware a lot of people have different or negative recollections of growing up. So with “Sun Tan,” I tried to bridge the gap between good and bad and offer more of a ‘fly on the wall’ viewpoint, so that anyone may find something they identify with, within the song.

INFRARED MAG: Musically, the track channels gritty nostalgia with fuzz-heavy riffs and anthemic energy. How did you build that sound with your producer Josh Gallop at Stage 2 Studios?

KROOKED TONGUE: Josh is always a blast to work with, he’s one of our dearest mates and he always knows exactly what we want to get out of a recording session. So everything comes together super rapid when it comes to laying down the basis of a track. Which gives us more time to hone in on tones and making the tunes sound boss.

INFRARED MAG: Can you talk about the contrast between lyrical introspection and musical explosiveness in the track? How do you balance those energies as a trio?

KROOKED TONGUE: It’s something that comes naturally now I reckon. I tend to write lyrics alongside the music or after but never really before. I think that helps shape the song into whatever you want it to be. You can get a good scope of where you might want to go with the type of song it’s gonna be. And then taking it into practice with the lads and hearing the ideas brought to life loudly, is always a good tester.

INFRARED MAG: Krooked Tongue has seen growing success with past singles like “Marigold” and “Nothing Ever Grows.” How does “Sun Tan” expand on the sound or message of those previous releases?

KROOKED TONGUE: So what’s been fun with the last few singles is the mix of sounds. There’s some stone cold killers mixed in with some light-hearted anthems, but it all seems to work. And with our debut album on the horizon (spoilerrrr) it’s refreshing for us because we have a few directions to lean into.

INFRARED MAG: What was it like seeing “Nothing Ever Grows” used during a major sporting event on DAZN Sports? Did that change anything for the band in terms of audience or momentum?

KROOKED TONGUE: Honestly, surreal. Have to give a big shout out to the incredible work that Mason at DAZN does with his edits. Absolute GOAT. But yeah for real, as a boxing fan it’s mad cool. Hopefully the start of more similar placements to come.

INFRARED MAG: You’ve been praised for creating a sound that fuses Queens of the Stone Age swagger with Royal Blood-style energy. How do you interpret or evolve those comparisons in your music?

KROOKED TONGUE: I think a lot of that draws from our bulky sound when we play live, but we do struggle to find direct comparisons to our sound. Which I suppose is a good thing. It’s always good to have differing themes and sounds throughout your work in my opinion. It gives us a chance to drift between genre a little.

INFRARED MAG: The lyrics reflect on familiarity, growth, and the need to explore the unknown. How do those themes reflect where you are personally and artistically right now?

KROOKED TONGUE: We’re always learning. Always trying to do more, get better. But there’s always room to switch off too. Even something as simple as visiting your school pals in your hometown, every experience is something to gain from. A chance to refresh the course you’ve been on and see where life will take you next.

INFRARED MAG: You said “You don’t need a resume to see the world.” That line hits hard—do you see the song as a challenge to societal norms or expectations?

KROOKED TONGUE: Yeah definitely. Being different is cool. It takes nuts to break out of the production line and follow a path that’s untraveled. But at the same time, if you love what you do, no matter what it is, then you should do it. And if anyone says otherwise, fuck em’.

INFRARED MAG: There’s a clear cinematic quality to your sound. If “Sun Tan” were a film scene, what would it look like?

KROOKED TONGUE: Haha! I’ve thought about this a lot actually. Film and especially indie cinema has always been an influence on the songwriting. I think “Sun Tan” might sit somewhere between Boyhood and Kings of Summer. I could envision the final scene before the credits roll, driving through open roads of the US with the roof off, sun burning down on neck. A solid end to a coming-of-age movie.

INFRARED MAG: Your debut album drops in early 2026. What can you tell us about the themes or direction of the record based on what “Sun Tan” introduces?

KROOKED TONGUE: Yesss! We’re excited to announce the album properly and to finally have a bigger body of work out in the world! Like I said earlier, it’s an eclectic mix of sounds that fuse together seamlessly. It sounds like ‘us’—which I know might sound strange considering, it is ‘us’. But with how different some of the tracks are in theory, you could be led into thinking the album might be clashing with itself. But it really works and we’re super excited for everyone to hear it.

INFRARED MAG: You’ve toured with Kid Brunswick, False Heads, and more—how has playing live shaped the way you write or structure your newer material?

KROOKED TONGUE: We’ve played some mega gigs over the last year or so, and getting to tour with bigger artists is always an influence creatively. You create so many everlasting memories on the road so it’s easy to pull from when writing lyrics.

INFRARED MAG: What have you learned from the audience responses on tour and at festivals like Dot to Dot and Tallinn Music Week that influenced this single?

KROOKED TONGUE: One thing is for sure, this one goes down like a nuke. People have been asking us to release “Sun Tan” for ages since we started playing it live last year. I think it scratches a few itches for music fans. Somewhere between indie rock and alternative with sprinkles of pop punk offers something for everyone.

INFRARED MAG: With over 500k combined streams across EPs and singles, how are you planning to build on that momentum with the new release and debut album rollout?

KROOKED TONGUE: It’s all about consistency. Unfortunately, we live in the algorithmic era. There’s less and less time to be a brooding, time-consumed artist. So it’s finding the balance between staying true to the artistic process and also giving fans new music consistently. And with all the tunes we’ve got in the bank, it’s given us more time to focus on the most important aspect of any of this—the music.

INFRARED MAG: Lastly, what message do you hope listeners take from “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan” when it hits their speakers for the first time on June 20th?

KROOKED TONGUE: Be yourself, ’cos there’s no one like you. You saucy little adventurer, you.

With “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan,” KROOKED TONGUE deliver more than a catchy riff or nostalgic hook—they offer listeners a heartfelt reflection on identity, growth, and the unspoken stories buried in hometowns and highways. It’s a track that echoes long after the final chorus, reminding us that sometimes, the freedom we seek is already within us.

As the band prepares for their debut full-length release in 2026, their vision is sharper than ever, and their momentum undeniable. With humor, heart, and heavy riffs, KROOKED TONGUE are stepping boldly into their future—one loud, liberated anthem at a time.