Loud Women marks its 10th anniversary with a compilation that cuts straight to the heart of what the collective has always stood for. Released through the independent Punk Fox label, the album brings together women and non-binary DIY artists who’ve moved through the collective’s orbit over the past decade. But this isn’t a nostalgic look back. It’s a raw, unfiltered snapshot of an underground scene that’s been thriving in the margins while the rest of the industry chases trends. Uncompromising and fiercely independent, the compilation makes a convincing case that the most vital music happening right now exists far outside the mainstream’s reach.
Teasing a sample of “Hail to the Chief,” before ripping into a chunky riff, Loud Women dive straight into the project with Philly punk duo ShyGodwin’s “American Circus.” Clocking just over a minute, the track delivers a cutthroat introduction. The irony of opening with a conservative anthem only to crash into something punky and self-righteous is what makes this track more fun. Lyrically, “American Circus” bursts with political outrage as frontwoman Ly Woods vigorously chants, “Build a wall, break it down, shut us out, burn it down.” The line, “If it makes them rich, we’ll all be sorry” quickly follows. The track is a rampage against elites with unfathomable political power, isolating us from one another and shaping our lives to their advantage. It’s a powerful and clear glimpse of what Loud Women represent.
Continuing the wave of solid riffage—the kind that gets stuck in your head within the first three seconds—is BE N!CE’s “Witch Hunt.” The track hits like an adrenaline cluster fuck with rapid-fire spoken word and a guitar-driven hook. While it brings full-throttle chaos, the transition into the next track still lands with surprising seamlessness.
The Menstrual Cramps then tackle a tougher subject: how the world sees us. Gender, now more than ever, can easily be a lightning rod for discrimination. With jagged guitar shreds and chant-like adlibs, the band applies their signature punk sound to “Body Politics,” grounding their message that gender is a performative social construct. The result lands harder than ever.
Loud Women are no strangers to a full-length releases. Since launching in 2015 as a not-for-profit community interest company, they’ve independently released six albums. Their 10th Anniversary compilation album pulls together some of the most titillating new-wave, indie, and punk tracks from collectives on the rise. Across the record, you get a snapshot of Loud Women’s ethos.
Unlike its predecessors, “Dead to Me” offers a sharper pop edge. Tracks like Bugeye’s “Don’t Stop” lean into a more mellow alt-punk feel, while Lillith Ai’s “Riot! Riot! Revolution” lands with the energy of a late-2000s indie anthem.
The compilation pushes forward with Sister Ghosts’ psych-rock “She’s Wild,” an ode to claiming your true self with guitars that soar and chant-like harmonies that feel almost ritualistic.
The energy doesn’t let up, transitioning from the playful, whimsical charms of I, Doris’ “Superduperdoirs” to the grungy, cathartic crescendo of A Void’s “Save Yourself.” Each track shifts effortlessly, carrying the listener through a spectrum of defiance, vulnerability, and exhilaration, perfectly capturing the spirit of a scene that refuses to be sidelined.
Loud Women have spent a decade carving out space for independent, emerging artists, and this compilation proves they’re building more than just a catalog. They’re building a movement. The collective takes zero profit from this project, funnelling every cent to the artists themselves and to charities supporting women. In an industry that talks inclusion but rarely walks the walk, Loud Women do both, showing that support can be radical, tangible, and unapologetic.
Platforms like this are the pulse of the underground, reminding us that the scene isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, loud, and impossible to ignore.