Sydney’s Grenade Jumper have just put out a two-track EP, What’s Left When It All Falls Down. The duo of “The Power You Flaunted” and “Breathe In” combine to grow intrigue about the band and have us wonder how their sound will continue to evolve in the future. We were inspired to hit the four piece up with a few questions to get to know them a little better. Vocalist Bianca Davino kindly gave us the following insights.
Who is in Grenade Jumper and what is their role?
Grenade Jumper is: Bianca Davino (vocals and rhythm guitar), Max Jacobson (lead guitar), Lukas Sikes-Gerogiannis (bass), and Dean Fernance (drums).
Tell me what musical inspirations feed into Grenade Jumper? I hear pop punk, alt rock, maybe even pop and some other flavours in there.
Individually, there are a myriad of artists and styles that inspire us – everything from MF DOOM to Phoebe Bridgers to Tool. However, at our core, in the process of formulating the GJ sound and aesthetic, it really comes down to who we’d probably refer to as the “greats” – bands like Deftones, Bloc Party, The Smashing Pumpkins. They’re all acts who truly exude a certain mood and atmosphere in their music, a trait we are working towards every time we write a new song. We admire how they’ve fused elements of so many genres throughout their careers, and truly all have an off-the-wall approach to their songwriting.
These influences come together for us in a way where we try to pick out what we like from each genre/band – for example, the dance-y textures of Bloc Party – and try to evoke that in our music somehow, rather than trying to write a dance-track in itself. Personally, I’m incredibly inspired by pop artists like Sky Ferriera, HAIM, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, SZA (the list goes on…), and the way their lyrics evoke deep, specific experiences whilst remaining so universal. The way female pop acts have dominated both the mainstream and alt music worlds is indicative of how women are just….simply smashing the men in music in every regard.
With each release there’ve been distinctly different highlights by way of production and where my ears are directed toward. Would I be right in saying that there’s so far been an ongoing discovery and learning about what Grenade Jumper are about by way of sound?
It’s the sound of us developing and coming into our own as a band. When we started in 2018, our goal was to play a single show and record one song – our first release reflects this. We didn’t know how or where to start, and after playing our first ever show, we quickly realised that the band was something to take seriously. Our release “Heat Wave” earlier this year was the first time we’d ever worked collaboratively with a producer (Nat Sherwood). Our two-track showcases a further development from that, with the integration and experimentation of different sounds and textures. We just got out of the studio again, and the stuff we worked on is pretty glaringly different to what we’ve just released too. We’re always evolving, but our identity is rooted in the idea that we’re an alt-rock band that is striving to write atmospheric, mood-driven music that’s both grand and energetic.
Sound aside, what philosophy or intention drives what (or how) the band create?
I do believe that the 4 of us just have this inherent, burning desire to create. We’re all insane music lovers and we need to be part of it all through creating. Our intention at the moment is to write and experiment as much as we can, to continue to grow artistically. I know personally, one of the things that drives me the most is the marketing and release aspect of it all. It’s so tricky to navigate, but in all of that it forces you to become more creative, push-yourself, and think outside the box.
“Breathe In” is a stand-out favourite for me and its EP ‘sibling’ is also clearly heavier. Tell me about the progression into the songs of What’s Left When It All Falls Down.
The tracks were actually written as part of a 5-track EP we recorded earlier this year. When COVID hit, we thought it’d be best to stagger our releases. At the end of the whole process, we definitely noticed that “The Power You Flaunted” and “Breathe In” really worked together as a dual narrative, as both revolve around lyrical ideas that question/reflect on these kind of darker ideas. They were both inspired by the tension and release that acts like Wolf Alice and Deftones have consistently nailed, and we wanted to evoke the big-rock energy of our favourite 90s bands in both of the tracks too.
With these lily pad hops along the way so far, what feels best for Grenade Jumper collectively, and what does that mean for the future to come?
We actually just came out of the studio again, and it was the most natural, positive, and enlightening experience we’ve had as a band. We worked with a new producer this time around, and I won’t give too much away in terms of the sound, but there’s more integration of our hip hop and electronic influences, with the sound evolving in something grander and pop-driven.
Check out What’s Left When It All Falls Down now: https://gyro.lnk.to/WhatsLeftWhenItAllFallsDown
