'Mind' by Grim Streaker album review by Stephan Boissonneault for Northern Transmissions

Mothland

9

Mind

Grim Streaker

Words by Stephan Boissonneault

Damn is it difficult to feel euphoria about anything anymore; world on the brink of calamity due to a potential war, a global pandemic that ceases to end, financial strife … and on top of that—we still have to work (for many of us, at jobs we have no love for). Grim Streaker, a project based in Brooklyn, New York, and Vancouver, understands all of these toils and uses them as inspiration for a wicked concoction of post-punk and No wave on their newest EP MIND.

This EP is only four songs long—and much to its detriment—as Grim Streaker’s sound is immediate and mesmerizing. We have the art house, deadpan lyrics, and vocal style of Amelia Bushell, the whirling use of drum machines, synths, and household objects. And the guitar tone is wet, quite reminiscent of the lead in the song “Fashion,” by David Bowie, played by the great Robert Fripp.

The title/starting track sets the jarring and seditious nature of MIND. There are so many promises of mental recognition; pills, money, self-love, loving another, but this track questions all of it, touching on the faux atmosphere of it all. The bridge is a deceiving jam of chaos until its jumps back into the repetitive “start with the mind” hook. A truly fantastical opener. The track also has a trippy music video with a very uncanny valley vibe to it. A man awakes, bewildered in the night, and begins documenting his life with a vintage typewriter. Images of deranged TV personalities (the band) appear in his mind. David Lynch would be proud.

“Big Boy” then slaps you into a wall its pounding bass guitar. This one is really all about material value whether, once again, fake or real. Amelia’s use of repetition here contributes to this hypnotic trance. “Lover” follows suit with the bass but the synths here are the real grab. Also a bit of “Fashion”-esque guitar for good measure. The production on this EP is sublime, helmed by Jonathan Schenke, who has worked with the likes of Parquet Courts, The Drums, Snail Mail.

Grim Streaker saves best for last with “Typical,” which might be one of the early contenders for post-punk disco track of the year. Too bad that medal probably doesn’t exist. This has Grim Streaker at their most experimental, some of the guitar lines are pure madness and there’s also a heart monitor for a brief trippy refrain. The outro then freezes your psyche into the monotonous slog and joy of living. Oh, how it’s so repetitive. And then it’s over, 11 minutes well spent. Now we wait for their next offering.