German band Smii aim to have the listener expecting the unexpected with a catchy and edgy brand of dirtpop that they describe as “fresh, relentless and unexpected.”
Smii challenges the modern concept of what rock bands sound like, crafting a sound that’s unique, regardless of how it’s received by “those in the scene who are used to hearing the same recycled ideas over and over.” And they’re on a mission to release new tracks at regular intervals, after releasing their debut single in November.
On the sound they’ve crafted, they told us: “You can truly expect the unexpected here. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, I’ll drop a track you never saw coming. The sound is edgy yet catchy. Relentless yet intimate. It’s unlike anything you’ve heard, yet weirdly familiar in its feeling. Sometimes you can dance, sometimes you can mosh.”
To get a taste for this, they sent us their debut single Waste A Life. It opens up with a cool little synth sound that gives way to lively guitars before a catchy opening verse led by engaging vocals, “Formally known beliefs, seeking anything, just seek, You will get your time once you get this, And formally known as me, Is there anything to seek? You will get your time, Don’t forget this.” The atmosphere builds and drops into a catchy chorus with repeats of variations on “This is how to waste a life on purpose.” Another verse flows into a big chorus, which gives way to stabbing guitars and cool vocals to bring the track to a lively conclusion.
On the track, the band told us: “Because ‘unexpected’ is the core of my sound, the reception has been mixed. Some people love it, a lot of people hate me for it. I’ve been an underdog my whole life, and as I evolve, I’ve actually started to enjoy that role.”
The band followed that up with Roots of Plastic, which has slight Billy Talent undertones. It opens up with heavier guitars and driving drums, alongside a piercing guitar lick. It drops into a verse with edgy vocals that flow into a catchy chorus, before chunky guitar chords take us into a feisty second verse.
Those tracks come ahead of Smii’s debut album, which is mixed and mastered, and will be released in “bite sized” portions every six to eight weeks. We’ve had a sneak peek at one of the next tracks to be released, and it offers plenty more of the lively punky rocky goodness while ending on a really dark note that certainly has us excited to hear more from the band.
And on what to expect from their future releases, they told us: “The lyrics mostly focus on social issues and the hollow feeling of the anonymous, fake lifestyles everyone pretends to enjoy. Yet, I rarely say things straight to your face. It’s about discovery between the lines and if you aren’t open to it, you’ll never find it. I’ve taken this to the point where some might think it makes no sense at all, while others will find themselves in every single word. It’s not for everyone. That is expected and intentional.
“I don’t need to please the industry. The industry doesn’t please anyone either. Nobody needs another fake act pretending to be ‘authentic’ on social media. True art can never breathe in that environment. I don’t care about numbers or money.”
In addition to releasing the rest of the tracks from their debut album, Smii will be busy playing plenty of live shows, with “big plans” to be announced shortly.
You can follow Smii on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music and YouTube.
Listen to Smii and more new music on our Spotify playlists GigRadar Punk and GigRadar Rock
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