Just as she takes up space in the male-dominated Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area punk scene, Sneaks aka Eva Moolchan takes up space among the patriarchy. Highway Hypnosis, her forthcoming album on Merge Records that will drop in January, plays on hip-hop, post-punk, and invented words to fill a gap between the feminist underground and genre-specific singles charts. Through it, Moolchan joins the resistance forged by queer black feminists who create, explore, empower, conquer, and play bass.
The solo act, born with Pluto in Scorpio, released her first single “Beliefs” in September. The glimmering anthem shrouded in an atmosphere of darkness drops its beat along with a call to arms for all non-believers whose mantra is assigned: “Remove your beliefs and start again / ’cause all I wanna do is start again.”
Flashes of Robyn, Britney Spears, Jock Jams, Nirvana, recess hour on the blacktop, M.I.A., Lil Mama, a hacky sack circle, Aaliyah, and your first Warped Tour experience somehow all make sense inside the mind attached to ears experiencing Highway Hypnosis. Between responsibility, laughter samples, and charming vocals lies one club banger, your little sister’s anti-meat school lunch protest song, a 55-second epic bass surprise, and a lot of sincerity.
Like a piece of art with as many interpretations as people who view it, Sneaks’ music is kaleidoscopic, completely unique to the listener—and live, it’s even more unassuming. On a tour with Spoon in the spring of last year to support It's a Myth, Sneaks served Boca Mag with a “bizarre punk-hop” set by “an emerging artist on Merge Records whose ability to divide the room was a thing of experimental beauty.”
The best part? Inclusivity is at the heart of Sneaks, and all are welcome to her galaxy…but only the woke will find the wormhole.
