The Goa Express, led by Clarke alongside his brother Joe and best friends Joey, Naham and Sam, met as young teenagers in Burnley. Growing up in the rural shadow of England’s industrial north, music was an escape and a vessel for friendship. Their shared teenage experiences (late gigs at The Golden Lion in Todmorden, camping underneath the cliffs at Hebden Bridge) shaped their collective attitudes and behaviours and, ultimately, the sound and spirit of their band.

Having started to capture this emerging sound on record, the band self-released a run of singles which, despite straddling the pandemic-afflicted 2020/2021 which rendered touring impossible, got major and independent labels alike knocking down their door, with Communion ultimately coming on board to partner with the five-piece. As soon as they could they were touring again, playing over 100 gigs across the UK and Europe in 2022. This included slots at Latitude, The Great Escape, Pitchfork Paris and Glastonbury.

Punctuating their status as burgeoning hometown heroes, The Goa Express can be seen performing to thousands at Burnley’s Turf Moor stadium on the Netflix film Bank of Dave, which is set in the area.