Singapore-based band Gnaw released their debut EP, Inside a Machine That’s Glistening, on April 10th. Spanning four explosive tracks, it’s a sharp introduction to the band’s genre-defying sound.
Pulling from a wide range of styles and eras — from the wailing guitars of ’90s staples like Hole and Smashing Pumpkins, to the pop polish of modern favourites like Momma and Alvvays, and the digital abrasion of acts such as Sleigh Bells and Jane Remover — Gnaw’s fuzzed-out, pop-leaning approach feels both dark and playful. Guitarist Daniel Lim and drummer Zakhran Khan anchor the chaos with distorted riffs, pummelling rhythms, and electronic flourishes, while vocalist Tara Tan unpacks ambition, stardom, self-doubt, and self-destruction with intimate, clear-eyed lyricism.
Inside a Machine That’s Glistening is available to order on Bandcamp — and we’ll be digging further into the sounds that shaped it in the following Under the Influence feature on the band’s inspirations.
Sleigh Bells – Treats
We were heavily influenced by the production of this album. The strategic and intentional use of distortion in almost every instrument and how it creates depth without oversaturating the layers. Super fun listen and definitely nostalgic. Every track is a banger. I might even argue that this album was ahead of its time. The energy and production of this album has been super fundamental in helping me find Gnaw’s sound.
Boris – Pink
I mean, come on. You can never get bored of the riffs in this album. So innovative and chaotic. I was exposed to this album via the 2010 Japanese psychological thriller, Confessions. The song had a scene that featured the song ‘Farewell’ extensively. That song immediately got me curious about the band and when I heard the rest of the album, I was pleasantly surprised.
This album influenced the way we handled our drums. We were fortunate enough to record the entire EP on an electronic kit which gave us a lot of flexibility with the sound. We were inspired by the way Boris uses distortion on their drum kit and definitely applied that to our drums. We even recorded our drums with the distortion on. The dirt, the grit, and the energy that resulted was really satisfying for us.
Jane Remover – Frailty
Frailty really inspired the way we approach our songwriting and arrangement. The way Jane Remover goes in between parts throughout this album without compromising on their pop sensibilities really influenced the way we approached our arrangement. It pushed the way we looked at song structures and how different parts of a song relate to each other. Honestly, quite a worldview shattering masterpiece by Jane Remover. The album’s use of glitches to create textures and transitions were also fundamental to our production.
