A meaty bassline, biting percussion, and cheeky autotuned vocals kick off Crush Fund’s latest single “Numb Again,” and it’s immediately clear in those opening fifteen seconds that the band is something special. The track soon explodes into an amalgam of dance-punk, queercore, nu-metal, and hyperpop. Crunchy modulated guitar and caustic quippy vocals round out the track, creating a delightfully erratic listening experience.
Crush Fund is Nora Knox (drums/vocals), Wendy Kya (guitar/vocals/bass), and July Brown (bass). Citing the likes of Death Grips, Screaming Females, and Guerilla Toss as their influences, the Brooklyn transcore trio is dedicated to putting out “fucked up pop songs from some girls trying not to take themselves so seriously.”
Packaged together with “Numb Again” is a demo version of “Faker,” which previously appeared on the T4Tapes Basement Sessions, a collection of twelve songs from trans musicians. The compilation also features a solo track from Nora Knox, “Spin Around.”
Last year, Crush Fund put out their Drama EP. The titular track is a mouthy commentary on the cliquey nature of local queer communities. It’s a comparatively low-key song sandwiched between two grungier tracks. The songs the band has released so far have been punchy, fun, and clever – I’ll be waiting for their upcoming 2024 LP and looping Drama over and over in the meantime.
Stream “Numb Again” wherever you listen to music, and support the track over on Bandcamp. You can follow Crush Fund over on Instagram. The band also has an upcoming show at TV Eye in Ridgewood, NY on August 11th, so if you’re in the area, pick up some tix here.