Vona Vella - ‘Bear Trap’
Nottingham’s Vona Vella return with ‘Bear Trap’, a glittering slice of indie-pop released through Strap Originals.
Recorded at The Libertines’ Albion Rooms in Margate and co-produced with Jason Stafford (Jamie T, Sports Team), the track captures the five-piece in full bloom – fizzing with spangling guitars, buoyant drums and those signature intertwining harmonies that nod affectionately to the C86 era.
From its very first chiming riff, ‘Bear Trap’ radiates light; the guitars shimmer with a jangling brightness that recalls the golden age of indie-pop, while the rhythm section keeps things skipping forward with unrelenting energy. There’s an effervescent lift in the choruses, where Izzy Davis and Dan Cunningham’s voices fold together in a way that feels both euphoric and bittersweet. The layering of their vocals creates a push-pull tension – moments of intimacy giving way to bursts of exuberance – mirroring the restless spirit at the core of the song.
The chemistry at play here feels magnetic and unforced. There are flickers of Catatonia, The Magic Numbers and The Wannadies in the arrangements, but ‘Bear Trap’ is stamped firmly with Vona Vella’s own melodic identity. The track thrives on contrasts: breezy, joyous sonics paired with lyrics that stem from frustration and fatigue. Cunningham explains it was born out of a grim café job, where the idea of being ill felt like a rare escape. “I’ve been coming down with a fever, but it’s my fever dream,” he sings, a line that captures the weary humour of wanting out, even just for a day.
It’s this blend of bittersweet reality with irresistible melody that makes ‘Bear Trap’ so compelling. The song brims with youthful urgency but is delivered with the poise of a band far beyond their years. Since expanding from a duo into a full five-piece, Vona Vella have found a thrilling new propulsion. Their sound once dreamy and intimate – now soars with confidence and scale, as heard on recent single ‘Over and Over’. With ‘Bear Trap’, they cement their position as one of the UK’s most exciting rising indie bands, brimming with melodic sensibility and irresistible charm.
It’s little wonder they’ve already amassed 130k monthly Spotify listeners, toured with the likes of The Libertines, Tim Burgess and Morcheeba, and lit up festival stages from The Great Escape to Come Together. Now, with a string of headline dates this winter and a new video filmed at their own Nottingham club night, Vona Vella Presents, the band aren’t just building momentum – they’re curating a scene of their own. Bear Trap is both a testament to their journey so far and a sparkling promise of what’s still to come.
Words by Gemma Cockrell
