This Land is theirs for the taking! Mên An Tol on Identity and inspiration

An interview with London-based, emerging indie-rock band emerging indie rock band Mên An Tol, on who they are, their inspirations and how they’re finding their feet as one of indie rock’s most exciting rising acts.

From playing Glastonbury in June of this year, touring with The Cardinals, and releasing their immersive new EP This Land last week, Mên An Tol are quickly proving themselves as one of the most exciting up and coming indie rock bands. We connected with the band to discuss the experience of navigating the London music scene and what influences they take to harness a sound which is distinctly their own. They touch on their Cornish roots (fun fact: the namesake for Mên An Tol are neolithic-age standing stones situated near Madron), fond memories of past performances, and tackling the time-old titan that is identity.

DELILAH: First off, could you introduce Mên An Tol? Who you are, how did the band come together, and how would you describe your music?

Mên An Tol: We’re Mên An Tol and we’re; Robert Wiseman, Felix Knox, Max Silvey, Tom Stevens & Bill Jefferson. We all met through a pub in South East London, we’ve all worked there or lived there at some point. In fact a few still live there now. It’s kinda HQ were we write and record demos. Our music is folk rock or indie, but with the folk influence being less in the genre and more in songs you can sing along to, songs for and about real people. 

DELILAH: I saw you recently played the Glastonbury Introducing Stage, which is quite a big deal so congratulations! What was that experience like for you? Do you hope to make a grand return in 2027?

Mên An Tol: Thanks! It was great, Glastonbury is pretty much the ultimate festival so just to get to go was amazing and to be asked to play was a dream come true. But it felt right to be there, and yeah for sure we hope to come back in 2027 with some more music released and a few more gigs under our belts. 

DELILAH: Another big congrats on the release of your new single, ‘Not Ideal’ which I caught live at the MOTH Club when you opened for Miles Kane and it sounded brilliant. You worked with Carlos O’Connell from Fontaines D.C. on this track. Can i ask how this collaboration came about, and what was the process like working with him?

Mên An Tol: Nice one, yeah MOTH Club was really fun. Another venue we’ve wanted to play ticked off the list and we’re really looking forward to going back with Cardinals in September. Someone sent Carlos our music, I think our first single ‘NW1’, and he must have liked it enough to come down to one of our gigs at The Dublin Castle. We had a chat after, went for a pint a few days later and just clicked. I sent him some of the songs we were planning to record next and we just got work on Not Ideal. It was really cool being in the studio with him, he has an amazing ear and was expert in bringing out the vibe and emotion of the song. 

DELILAH: Sonically, ‘Not Ideal’ feels quite different from your earlier material, with a more shoegaze-adjacent vibe, and a layered production. Can we expect a similar vibe across the rest of the EP, or were you experimenting with different directions for each track?

Mên An Tol: It’s a song that’s been around for as long as any of the tracks off of the first EP, so really it’s just another string to our bow. But a bit of shoegaze is in our influences, but there’s got to be a song too. I think all the tracks off of the next EP have slightly different vibes, but they all feel and sound like us. We’re kinda introducing ourselves musically at this point. 

DELILAH: I would assume that you guys are fans of Fontaines D.C., whose Irish identity is so central to their work. As a London-based band, would you say that a London identity is something that you hold central in your music?

Mên An Tol: Yeah we’re all fans, it’s been refreshing to watch a guitar band pretty much take over the world. And yeah London is where we live, it’s our surroundings so will always be our music. Also I think with us all moving here we have that romanticised view which I think helps. But I will say my musical heart is in Cornwall. 

DELILAH: More broadly, how would you describe the London indie scene at the moment? Are there particular challenges that  smaller bands are facing right now – or has your experience been relatively smooth sailing?

Mên An Tol: I think it’s really healthy to be honest. So many venues and bands. I guess the only challenge is standing out in some way. But not in a try hard way. I suppose it’s been pretty smooth sailing, we kinda got lucky with each other and the music we wanted to make. Saying that, we’ve done the gigs to no one and just built it ourselves. 

DELILAH: And finally,  if you had to sum up why people should listen to Mên An Tol in just five words, what would they be?

Mên An Tol: The best band in London

Listen to their new EP This Land below!