Grim Streaker

Mind [EP] (2022)

EmMoore

A lot can happen over the course of four songs. You can find yourself feeling like you’ve been transported to another dimension, you can be overcome by the urge to dance, and you can find yourself asking “did I just hear a fax machine?”. Grim Streaker deliver all this and more on their EP Mind.

Grim Streaker are constantly innovating and they thrive on the unexpected. Along with instruments that you’d expect to hear on a goth-y, New Wave-y, post-punk record the band also employ the use of fax machines, heart rate monitors, and various power tools. These unexpected instruments add layers of depth and serve to keep you on your toes as you’re never quite sure what’s coming next. The band also mix in elements of disco and psych-rock that make you want to dance. Over the course of the EP the band deals with taking care of mental health, searching for the perfect partner, finding happiness despite the crushing grind of work, and they also tackle the illusion of wealth. Vocalist Amelia Bushell fully embodies the lyrics as she goes from barely contained rage on album opener “Mind” to playful longing on energetic “Big Boy” to robotic optimism on futuristic “Typical” effortlessly. All of this combined creates a unique listening experience that you won’t find anywhere else.

Each song envelops you in a wonderful cocoon of noise and energy but none take you on the journey that “Mind” does. The song starts off with a dreamy atmospheric build up before the driving post-punk beat begins and Amelia Bushell starts singing with cool detachment. That cool detachment turns into barely contained rage before morphing into ethereal calm over the course of the song. “Start with the mind” is repeated often and serves as both a grounding reminder and a defiant call to arms to look after yourself, especially in a society that doesn’t give this care the weight it deserves. The song is all-consuming and between the instruments and repetition of the lyrics it feels like you’re about to take off for another dimension. As “mind” is repeated at the end of the song it becomes clear that the other dimension isn’t too far away and is indeed inward.

On their EP Mind Grim Streaker have created a collection of songs that highlight the importance of looking after yourself and figuring out what you truly want out of life. They are able to turn you inward in a positive way while also making you feel like dancing (especially on “Lover” and "Big Boy"). Mind reminds you that sometimes inspiration can come from the most unexpected of sources and I am looking forward to seeing what machinery Grim Streaker will use on their next release.