Amid the buzz of pop-punk’s familiar chords, Lithouanian grungy emo punk rockers THE SHOUTING DOLLS have emerged from their creative cocoon with “NAMI NO MA,” an EP that captures the essence of their independent journey.
Being a poignant transformation born out of the ennui and mental entrapment, the EP is an embodiment of a sea town’s winter—a liminal space of stark, grey skies and a profound silence.
There’s even a poetic aptness in THE SHOUTING DOLLS hailing from Lithuania—a country whose very name carries an evocative, almost emo resonance, fitting seamlessly with the band’s introspective and emotive identity.
The band’s voyage through the icy waters of genre confines has been an arduous one.
“I got totally burned out playing pop-punk,” confesses the lead, articulating a sense of creative asphyxiation.
Their earlier sound, redolent with the buoyancy of youth and rebellion, hit an impasse, plunging the songwriter into a well of stagnation—a mire where the expectation of writing the next anthem clashed with the grim realities of personal strife.
The pivot in their musical narrative came unbidden, sparked by a disdain for the artifice saturating social feeds, the relentless quest for viral immortality.
In response, THE SHOUTING DOLLS crafted “NAMI NO MA,” an EP that’s not just an expression but a declaration of raw authenticity.
Initially, the raw, unpolished timbre of the vocals might seem jarring, yet this impression is fleeting. As the EP progresses, what might have been perceived as a flaw swiftly transmutes into an allure, intricately fitting into the fabric of the emotive soundscape and enhancing the authentic emo ambiance.
“I decided to write the most raw and honest songs possible,” the lead remarks, shrugging off the mantle of genres and expectations.
The music became a lifeline in the riptides of life, offering a rare kind of solace that the artist likens to therapy.
Their roots—intertwined with the biting cold of their seaside town—have undeniably shaped the tonality of this collection.
“It’s literally about being stuck in life both literally and metaphorically,” they share, revealing a dual theme as somber as the winter sea yet as hopeful as the first thaw.
Despite the heavy and melancholic undertones, there’s a deliberate thread of hope woven throughout the EP. In the stirring chords of “NAMI NO MA,” one may discern the haunting echoes of THE CAULFIELD CULT’s emo hardcore/post-hardcore edge, a resonant whisper from the vibrant Singapore scene that we covered many times here on IDIOTEQ.
The band’s essence, the very nucleus of their identity, remains faithful to the spirit of punk—”played with your best friends,” as they say.
With “NAMI NO MA,” they present not just a convergence of emo and punk rock, but a texture enriched with a hint of grunge and vocals that exude an air of nonchalance, though never at the expense of earnestness. There’s an undeniable sincerity to the melodies and compositions, a promise of uncharted potential.
THE SHOUTING DOLLS stand not at a crossroads and a newfound beginning, where the expectation of catchy anthems is replaced by a yearning for genuine connection through music.
It’s an offering that doesn’t just aim to please the ear but seeks to resonate with the soul, to be a companion during the long winter evenings when the sea whispers tales of stillness and motion.
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