Screensaver – Decent Shapes LP Upset! The Rhythm (UK)

Melbourne/Naarm synth-punk five-piece Screensaver return with Decent Shapes, their second album. Decent Shapes is loaded with bubbling tension, a low grade but growing fever, a rising rage. The frustration is so tangible you can taste it. Detachment and dissociation become survivalist coping mechanisms. Thematically, screensaver’s latest offering finds them exploring existence on an ever-growing trash heap where we’re desperate for the new, the nice and the shiny. A world where materialism reigns supreme and corporate niceties litter the public dialogue but behind closed doors the sentiment is warlike, total domination is the only answer to the bottom line. All of which is underpinned by the band’s sonic sense of urgency and a commitment to creating a sound that taps into the mood and spirit of post-punk whilst also allowing space for new wave elements and electronic experiments to shine through. Decent Shapes was recorded and mixed by Julian Cue, who was also the recording engineer for Expressions of Interest. Defined by a kinetic energy, dynamic range and brooding atmosphere, the ten-track release comprises some tracks that were mainstays within the band’s live shows — featuring in their US tour set-list — alongside others which were written later in the recording process. During the creation of Decent Shapes, the band also experimented with swapping instruments, allowing for different playing styles and song-writing approaches. Screensaver was formed in 2016 as a trans-Pacific project between Krystal Maynard (Bad Vision/ex Polo) and Christopher Stephenson (Spray Paint/Exek). Their debut album Expressions of Interest received support from the likes of Brooklyn Vegan, Beats Per Minute, DIY and Post-Trash.