Default Mode Network Mix Nostalgia and Fun on New Single 'Chin Up Chuck'

Leeds trio Default Mode Network are back, and with ‘Chin Up Chuck’, they’re showing just how much their sound has grown. The single is a playful, psychedelic-leaning rock jam that somehow nods to the classics while feeling totally fresh. Think fuzzy guitars meeting bright, Beatles-esque melodies, all wrapped up in that grunge-meets-indie energy that’s become their signature.

The track actually started as a straight-up garage rock song, but things took an interesting turn when the band recorded on the historic Challen piano at Abbey Road Studios, the same one The Beatles used on ‘A Day in the Life’. That little twist gave the song a lift, turning it into a melodic, singalong-ready track that still packs plenty of grit. It’s energetic, fun, and downright infectious, perfect for blasting in your headphones or at a gig.

And the video? Absolutely delightful. Picture this: a surreal “duck army,” the band hauling 400 rubber ducks through London, and quirky scenes shot in Leeds and at Soif Studios. It’s silly, it’s charming, and it perfectly captures the trio’s sense of humour and creativity.

Watch the video here:

With ‘Chin Up Chuck’, Default Mode Network are proving they’re not just looking back at their influences, they’re taking all that rock history and spinning it into something that’s unmistakably their own. If this single is anything to go by, their upcoming EP ‘The Spilling Sap & Burning Branch’ is going to be a wild ride.

Stream it now: