What does MSPAINT sound like?

Emo punk for the optimistic lost in the darkness.

The review of ‘No Separation’ by MSPAINT

MSPAINT’s 2023 album ‘Post-American’ was a raw outpouring of emotion, caked in heavy walls of synth guitar noise and a drum kit being smashed to smithereens. It was and is glorious (and I still need to write a full review for it). Flash forward to 2025, and the rage and anger are still omnipresent in their follow-up, ‘No Separation’. It’s a more melodic and structured rage this time around, but by no means less effective.

The new EP covers a lot of ground and sound across five tracks. ‘Drift’ takes the Beastie Boy-styled punk-rap vocals into different realms of emo joy. From a sizzling bassline and even some quiet, reflective keyboards, MSPAINT makes us wait for the cathartic wall of sound. It smashes through with a wailing siren of synths blasting out over the top of the synth-guitars and bass. “We were never free”, barks DeeDee on vocals. I love bands that use their bass as their main guitar, and MSPAINT does this brilliantly. The synths warble and twist like a gazing guitar, but with the bonus of a droning hum presence to pitch and dive like crazy. This pitch and dive is what drives the sublime ‘Wildfire’ to its glory. I’m reminded of Curve and how they crossed electronic music with heavy rock. MSPAINT does this here, taking acid twinkling synths and firing them like flares across a tight, nimble and explosive rock anthem.

‘Surveillance’ lets the bass take the lead. It’s the Linkin Park track of the EP and revels in turning synths into a psychedelic swirl of noise. It’s the most dissonant and anarchic track on the EP as it descends into a bitcrushed scream for the final half a minute. The Blitzkreig razor feedback of ‘No Separation’ makes the verses bombastic and dynamic, like turning your stomach inside out through skateboard tricks. It runs at a manic pace for most of the track before settling down for a calm-before-the-storm chorus that builds up to a frenzy on exit. “I won’t let this break me” becomes the lyrical mantra as the bass feedback slides out of control. Control is a central lyrical theme across the EP, and it crops up with the melodic ‘Angel’ that wraps up the release. Borrowing from the electronica world with strobing synths and rolling keyboard melodies, the track becomes a perfect synergy of electronic and rock sensibilities. Part of the fun comes from having portamento synths that merge with the bass to create a slow-motion emo rave. When paired with the sharp fangs of the lyrics, it is a superb dance of uplifting depression.

I say uplifting depression because whilst MSPAINT revel in guttural, bassy, gritty, heavy punk rock, the lyrics are actually quite hopeful. They often speak of trying to stay calm or focusing on the positive when everything is turning to shit around you. Interestingly, the band tagged their music as “hopecore” as a searchable genre of music on Bandcamp. I agree, there is hope to be found in the pits of despair, and I think MSPAINT’s unique mesh of uplifting electronics and dredged basslines makes the twinkles in the dark all the brighter. I’m not usually someone who gels with shout-talk punk vocal deliveries, but I cannot get enough of what MSPAINT delivers. Sublime.

Recommended track: Angel

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