The Cords are a Scottish indie pop duo made up of sisters Eva and Grace Tedeschi, whose music distils youthful urgency into sharp, melodic songs driven by guitar and drums. Raised on a steady diet of indie records, they gravitated early toward the sounds of classic jangle-pop and underground pop, forging a partnership built on instinct, simplicity and momentum. The pair quickly built a reputation through a handful of ultra-limited early releases that disappeared almost as soon as they appeared. At the same time, they earned their stripes on stage, performing alongside cornerstone names of Scottish pop history as well as a new wave of like-minded indie bands, bridging generations with an ease that feels entirely natural. Their debut album, The Cords, marks a major step forward. Released by Skep Wax in the UK and Europe (with Slumberland handling the US), the record captures the immediacy of their live sound while revealing a growing emotional range. Short, punchy songs sit alongside more reflective moments, all held together by Eva’s bright, winding guitar lines and vocals and Grace’s propulsive, characterful drumming. The production stays true to their stripped-back approach, letting energy and melody take centre stage. While listeners familiar with indie pop’s past may catch hints of earlier movements and scenes, The Cords is firmly rooted in the present. It’s the sound of two young musicians playing loudly, honestly and without compromise, finding freedom in analogue instruments and direct expression. In doing so, The Cords reaffirm the enduring power of pop music that is handmade, heartfelt and shared on its own terms.

What They Say: “When You Said Goodbye is a song we think everyone can relate to. It is about losing someone when you aren’t ready to lose them and the feelings of sadness and emptiness that follow. It is much slower than our other songs and felt it was a perfect choice for closing the album.“

“Weird Feeling is about everyday life expectations and them pushing you out of your comfort zone. The uneasy feelings of contemplating social interactions but also having that one person who understands. This is another that is very different from the other songs on the album and the drums have kind of weird (ha-ha) timings on it too.“

“I feel like we have picked the 3 “different” songs from the album, but we love this one. It was one we experimented a lot on. We love MBV and wanted to play around with that type of guitar sound pushing the boundaries while staying true to The Cords sound.“

Their Mixtape:

Grace’s picks

The Cure – The Caterpillar 

“The Cure are my favourite band and I just love this song and the wonderful lyrics it has. It’s about hope and change and fleeting joy. I remember when they played it live and it was just amazing!”

The Beastie Boys – Shake Your Rump

“I love the way The Beastie Boys are a mix of hardcore punk and hip hop. The lyrics are always really funny as well. For example, “Mike D with your bad self-running things. What’s up? With your bad breath onion rings” and “I got the peg leg at the end of my stumpa, shake your rumpa” makes me laugh every single time!”

Homework – How Can You

“This song has been among my top songs for a few years now, great guitars and great band.“

My Bloody Valentine – You Made Me Realise

“MBV just blow my mind and this song is overwhelming in every way that is amazing!“

Eva’s picks

The Liverbirds – You Can’t Judge A Book By Looking At The Cover 

“The lyrics in this song are just brilliant, so funny and clever originally written by Willie Dixon and sung by Bo Diddley. The Liverbirds covered it and gave it an all-female, raw, 60’s beat sound that was significant for them as they faced a lot of sexism at the time. Great band and great cover version of the song.“

The Byrds – Wasn’t Born To Follow

“This is just a really cool song about individuality, freedom and non conforming. It’s written and sung beautifully.”

Tiger Trap – Supreme Nothing

“This song was my lightbulb moment of “I want to make music like that” and it inspired me to do it. It’s a brilliant pop song with great lyrics.”

The Shop Assistants – Somewhere In China

“They are my favourite band and I adore Alex Taylor’s voice in this song. It’s so beautiful and different from their other songs. I got to perform with David Keegan in Edinburgh and it’s something I’ll never forget. He is an amazing guitar player!”

Tony Molina – Livin’ Wrong

“Oh my goodness, what beautiful music Tony Molina makes! This song could be a lost “Byrds” song from back then. The sound is just wonderful”

The Cords is out now via Skep Wax Records in the UK and Europe and via Slumberland Records in the US. Look HERE for more information on The Cords.