IN the year of the Time's Up and Me Too campaigns, the world has never needed a band like Dream Wife more.

The British-Icelandic punk trio have become known for their cutting anthems, rage-filled rallying cries and firm feminist message.

Emerging from a university art project, their shows are DIY filled with props and crowd surfing.

Hailing from Brighton, Dream Wife, made up of Rakel Mjöll (lead vocals) Alice Go (Guitar, vocals) Bella Podpadec (Bass, vocals) and Alex Paveley – aka”Paves” (Drums), have an electrifying energy that has made them a must-see live band.

In 2016, the trio put out their first EP and followed it up with several singles and another one called “Fire” one year later.

Since releasing their self-titled debut album, they have played it in three continents in just under two months.

“It’s been a bit wild and are genuinely surprised and happy that people seem to really like it”, Rakel says.

“It’s a collection of songs that have been with us a while and manifested through doing live shows and new songs we wrote in our rehearsal space.

“It’s been pretty weird playing in like Australia and having people sing along to a song that you haven’t played live much before and then aha you released the record is out. It’s theirs now.

“We recorded primarily onto tape, everyone playing in the same space at the same time.

“With tape you only get so many shots at getting it right, so there was a raw and energised vibe to the process, we hope that translates from the live show.”

The band chose Dream Wife for its wordplay, not from the 1953 Hollywood rom-com which none of them had ever seen, and for its wry nod to their feminist politics.

“It’s a commentary on the objectification of women; the 1950s American Dream stereotype package. Having the dream house, the dream car and the dream wife.

“We want to flip the script on that. Women aren’t objects; we don’t just fit into one mold.

“At the start, we joked around calling each other our wives, but by supporting one another, celebrating achievements together and finding strength in female solidarity we’re reclaiming the concept of a ‘wife’. Being in a band is a marriage in itself.”

So far, the band have supported Sleigh Bells on their UK tour and The Kills on their 15th anniversary tour.

Throughout their travels they have amassed a strong and dedicated fanbase that are desperate to catch a glimpse of them before they predictably go on to playing to bigger and bigger crowds.

With humble beginnings to touring across the world, the band are constantly pushing their boundaries.

“Things felt too fun and we couldn’t stop. We are kind of a power trio, and triple fire symbol too, so we have this drive between us, we egg each other on for sure.

“Aesthetic considerations are always part of our approach, as are conceptual understandings of this project.

“Dream Wife is one creative channel that we all add into in many ways, be that via collaboration with friends and creatives or through our own conversations about the project in the back of the van on the road, it’s an active and open thing for us as three artists.”

Challenging gender stereotypes and the expectations of women is at the heart of their lyrics.

Whether through their appearance, band name, sound or lyrics - it’s all about being things society doesn’t expect from girls and what a girl can be.

“Well, we write what we know - and we’re three women in our twenties with different and shared experiences by being in this world.

“It’s honest, the lyrics are about our experiences and friends.

“We play around with smashing gender expectations and wanna show the different faces we all have as women.

And if anyone disagrees?

“Focus on the ones you’re inspiring and embracing in front, don’t give any attention on that one a-hole who wants to ruin it for the rest.

“We’ve all been lucky to have parents that had pretty great record collections so we have that in common that we grew up listening to Madonna, Bowie, Talking Heads, Blondie, New order for example - but we all have different tastes that filter in to our music without us releasing.

“It’s not until afterwards you put some of the puzzles together, like that week you had been listening to the yeah yeah yeahs or Gang of Four or the strokes and that filtered in.”

Dream Wife’s debut album is out now.