With the slow, percolating rhythms of indie but the buzzing energy of pop, The Happy Mess create a smoothly energetic sound, built on the music of their Portuguese rock ancestors. Led by Miguel Ribeiro and his echoing, haunting vocals, the band came together in the early 2010s, becoming popular with the pumping bass drum and stripped-down guitar of "Morning Sun" in 2012. In 2018, they released Dear Future, featuring varied influences from synth-heavy electronics to chamber pop, while always maintaining their nuanced combination of swaying melodies and fast-paced percussion.