Callum Thompson, guitarist with The Mysterines, has released his debut solo single ‘It Grows On Trees (Money)’ under the new project name AKA, signing to Fiction Records.
The release comes in the wake of ongoing uncertainty surrounding The Mysterines, who cancelled all upcoming tour dates in August 2024 citing “recent circumstances” without elaboration. No official statement about the band’s future has been made.
The single is a punchy piece of indie-rock with a punk edge: distorted leads, discordant vocals and heavy guitar, co-produced by Thompson and Ben Harper. Lyrically it takes aim at consumerism, superficiality and the instability of identity in the social media age. Thompson has described it as “a song about the surreal becoming real”, adding that it looks at “how identity evolves in the modern media age, and the sense that certainty only exists in doubt.”
AKA made his live debut at London’s The Social in January, followed by a performance at Rough Trade East for Record Store Day 2026 alongside Soho Radio DJ Georgie Rogers. Festival appearances follow, beginning at The Great Escape in Brighton in May before heading to France’s Midi Festival in July.
