Marni is an LA-based, 4-piece indie-rock band that further identifies their sound as ‘EBT-core’. This has a grittier & rawer sound, with down-to-earth lyrics that often reflect the struggles of living in poverty (‘EBT’ stands for ‘Electronic Benefit Transfer’, which are basically US food stamps).
The band say their new EP, ‘fml era’ is “a portrait of being down on your luck, with unpolished guitars, and emotionally direct storytelling.” For my final bit of dodgy exposition, ‘fml’ stands for ‘f*ck my life’. Ok, now we’ve got all that out of the way, let’s get down to business.
‘Bee Stings’ – A warm, upbeat intro quickly gives way to growling feedback and an explosion of ragged, grimy guitars. Some wonderfully sparse riffs and really cool rhythmic touches create a brooding start to the EP. I thought the occasional screamed backing vox was a nice, subtle touch which added extra expression.
‘99c’ – Screeching feedback peppers the track again, giving that raw, stripped-down sound. The track pulses like blood through a vein, and there are distant screams & spoken voices which feel slightly disconcerting.
‘Boozer’ – A change of pace here with a slower, softer sound. The twang of guitars gives it a reassuringly country feel. I liked the space in the mix and the restrained arrangement.
‘Washed Up’ – There’s an effortless groove and a nice interplay between the guitars that I really liked. Things get more and more intense towards the end.
‘Yuma’ – The EP closer begins with a disarmingly personal answerphone message from a loved one. The subtle melody creeps its way in like smoke under a door. The weight of the track pushes down as the clear, intimate vocal conveys its story, before fading into the background for the final crescendo.
‘fml era’ is full of brutal, raw power – but it is layered with subtly addictive melodies, gentle warmth and delicately expressive moments. The songs feel unstoppable and travel along their paths like glaciers tearing through the landscape.
‘fml era’ is out now, and will be supported this autumn with a tour of the US West Coast.
Written by Grubby
