Shelf Lives

Formed in London in the early 2020s, the duo Shelf Lives brings together Canadian vocalist Sabrina Di Giulio and British guitarist Jonny Hillyard in a direct blend of punk, noise and electronic music. Rooted in the London alternative scene, Shelf Lives develops short, tense tracks built around fast electronic rhythms, abrasive guitars and vocals that oscillate between spoken word, chanted slogans and minimalist pop melodies. Sabrina Di Giulio’s lyrics confront overconsumption, workplace alienation, social anxiety and contemporary forms of collapse head-on, often with caustic humour and an ironic distance. Discovered online through a series of singles and a first longer-form EP, Shelf Lives then played numerous shows in independent clubs and small venues across the UK before taking their act to festival stages in Europe. On stage the project retains a tight duo dynamic, where the vocal performance, physical presence and Jonny Hillyard’s guitar work extend the raw, saturated aesthetic of the studio recordings, at the intersection of punk, electronic music and noise energy.