Melbourne locals Snark have released their debut EP titled ‘Imposter’- a beautiful five-track serenade to the soul- which you wouldn’t generally expect from a pop punk slash rock trio. With clear influences being Blink-182, Slowly Slowly and Dear Seattle though, you can tell you’re in for a wild ride on a rollercoaster of emotions.
The band shares the inner workings on their EP via a track by track breakdown, giving listeners a sneak peek of the behind the scenes process that gives the release a whole new feel of unity and inclusivity- as well as a deeper understanding of their creative process and deepest thoughts.
'Whatever, Nevermind'
"We really wanted this track to start the EP off at a blistering pace. This song just gets right into it and only ever pauses for breath briefly. The highest energy track off this EP, it's something that we're desperate to play live in a packed room! "
Sweet and snappy, ‘Whatever, Nevermind’ encapsulates the genre of pop-punk and introduces Snark to the world as a band that knows exactly what they are doing, with a clear direction and sound. Jam packed with catchy guitar riffs and slick, quick vocals- it’s a scream worthy tune.
'Wasted'
"On the surface, Wasted is a party anthem however the lyrics carry some real darkness. We fell in love with the idea of this upbeat, catchy song being almost a cry for help. The song could be equally at home as the soundtrack to a wild party or its aftermath. When we were recording this, we decided there needed to be some really spaced out sounding drums in the first verse so we tracked that section of the drums in a warehouse with some different mics and the result sounds pretty cool."
‘Wasted’ sounds oddly familiar and nostalgic-probably because it combines the best elements of pop and punk with both its echoey intro and heavy hitting chorus. It preludes their dive into deeper and more meaningful tunes for the remainder to the EP by taking a fresh twist on what sad songs really are - are they painfully slow with lamenting lyrics, or are they upbeat with deep lyrics? I'll let you decide...
'Pathetic'
"What is it about human nature to want what we can't have? 'Pathetic' is a testament to decisions made and the regret you feel when you make the wrong choice. Although the tempo stays constant, the song seems to speed up as it builds towards its climax before coming all the way back down to an outro consisting of a stripped back version of the chorus. It really helps contribute to the narrative feel of the song."
Vocals and lyrics seem to be the main focus of this song despite the crashing waves of instruments accompanying them throughout its duration. All the varying elements of this song compliment each other to create one big thrashing noise that slowly teeters off and fades with a gentle ‘over and out’ type click.
'Three Twenty-Seven'
"Nothing good happens after 3:27am. This song is named after the time in the morning that it was written and saved as note on Stefan's phone. The song draws you in right from the start with a stripped back introduction of guitar and vocals before the rest of the band explodes into action. The overlapping vocals in the bridge were so much fun to track in the studio with more than five different layers of vocals being tracked to really make the section feel epic."
Despite the band saying nothing good happens at 3:27am- this song rocks. Whilst the prior tracks on the EP deal with potentially darker and sadder stories, this song feels sentimental to its core. The upbeat classic rock style somehow makes it feel even more emotional and raw, as the heavy drum beats ring deep to your soul.
'Sentimental'
"This song was going to close the EP from the moment it was written. 'Sentimental' is a song about being resigned to your fate and accepting that this is all there is. More of a dreamy, introspective song, it provides real contrast with the rest of the EP. The song actually has no real chorus and instead drifts along its path in keeping with the vibe of the lyrics. Cleverly layered drums and some subtle use of synths help create a huge sound building to an outro that feels massive. "
Opening sweet reverb-filled riffs and catchy drum-beats allude to a story and song very similar to ‘Three Twenty-Seven’. This preconception is smashed at minute 2:45 as the song flows and ebbs like the tide. Overlapping harmonies set this song apart from the rest sonically, creating a melodious mish-mash of feelings- good and bad, which fade into nothingness with a prolonged ending.
Overall, this EP is a journey of the self- starting upbeat, energetic and catchy and ending with sentimentality and longing. It can be viewed as a progression into a depression, or a path of gaining understanding about the world and its inner workings, with a focal point of human emotion- raw, uncut, and full of feeling. It’s almost a frantic restructuring of the mind, body and soul in order to gain deeper meaning in this turmoil we call life.
Imposter beautifully encapsulates the ideas of what it is to be human, and is possibly one of the most humbling and deep releases both lyrically and sonically that has been created in a while. Snark clearly stay true to themselves and their distinctive sound in this one, and personally I can’t wait to hear what soul-twisting and gut-wrenching tunes they release in the future.
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