Norwegian post-punk band delights with excellent latest EP
Norwegian provocateurs The Real Jobs have carved out a delightfully unhinged corner of the modern post-punk landscape, and their new release Becoming a Baddie doubles down on the volatile energy that has made them one of Scandinavia’s most intriguing underground acts. Self-described as an “evil boyband,” the quartet—comprising Eirik Marinius Sandvik, Jonas Vedaa Særsten, Bryn Bowen, and William Jensen Mangerøy—crafts a sound that feels perpetually on the brink of structural collapse, in the best way possible.
Out via Tellé Records, Becoming a Baddie functions less like a standard collection of tracks and more like a feverish, shape-shifting concept piece. The project traverses an unpredictable sonic arc, fluidly shifting from upbeat, scrappy indie hooks into sprawling, reverb-drenched shoegaze textures. The band balances jagged, gnarly synths with anxious, razor-sharp guitars, anchoring their abrasive tendencies to irresistible dance-floor rhythms. It’s a delicate tightrope walk between menacing atmosphere and pop-inflected immediacy.
Lyrically, the record trains its lens squarely on the psychic friction of contemporary digital overload, using dark humor and unease to dissect the insidious internal monologues that undermine personal growth.
Already revered across Europe for their chaotic, sweat-soaked live performances, the group’s Becoming a Baddie captures a restless unit operating at the peak of their abrasive powers. Give it a spin below!
