Meaningful Stone cranks up the volume with 3 raucous new tracks

Meaningful Stone

Pyschomania / Trash / Kiddo

Poclanos, 2022.

9.1

Written by Ella Kaill (@ellakaill)
Photography by Abi Raymaker (@abiraymaker)

Since 2017, Meaningful Stone has made a name for herself through a catalogue of indie, folk tracks with a heavy shoegaze influence. Her latest releases on October 29th see her moving further away from her folksy past, instead setting loose three energetic alt-rock tracks that see her sound at its liveliest.

Pyschomania is four minutes of unabashed, danceable 90s rock with one of her most infectious choruses. It's the alt-girls' new anthem, devoured by the crowd at every Meaningful Stone show this year. Choppy drums and an understated bass riff drive the hit from behind gravelly vocals. It's the most out-spoken and spunky we've heard her, particularly on the 30-second-long growling monologue in the second half: "I never feel ashamed / I just wanna fuck with everyone." It's bold, it's exciting, and we're helpless against the tide of her magnetic delivery. "The arrogance of my ego is scary as fuck / But sometimes it's necessary to scare them all," she roars, as the track swells and overflows, spitting us out into a punchy final chorus.

Trash is an unbridled journey through four genres and tempo changes, with a serious message about overconsumption. The track freewheels through almost-acapella acoustic, to stomping, thrashing punk, and back. A seamless pre-chorus transition from a laid-back reggae beat to raging punk in one bar is a shining example of the expertise poured into all three of these tracks. The vocals effortlessly glide from gentle melodies to cacophonic yelling over the instruments.

Meaningful Stone saved up a little shoegaze and sprinkled it over powerfully reflective Kiddo. Droopy riffs and sharp cymbals call back to the 90s, seasoned with heady vocals and a romping, sing-along refrain. The track surges forward through quiet angst and monotony, amplified by lyrics like "same shit all day." It's a nostalgic nod to the golden age of distortion, fueled by Meaningful Stone's relatable lyrics that make her work so captivating.

These latest tracks were all released as separate singles, yet they blend together like one EP. They signify a maturing of Meaningful Stone's music. She sets a blueprint for a sound that's yet to permeate the Korean indie scene, differentiating herself from her peers and leaving little space for comparison.