Words by: Julia Poholek

After months of generating buzz and anticipation, SoCal’s Move Like Creatures have arrived with their debut EP, Space Case. Multifaceted in its sonic and lyrical components, this five-song work is a shiny, pop-rock gem that leaves us with no choice but to dance with abandon and find the freedom to be ourselves to the utmost degree. From the first track to the last, it’s clear that this group, which was formed early in the pandemic, have taken their vision and crafted a fully actualized work that’s fleshed out on all sides — sturdy to the touch and unwavering in its conviction. Navigating themes of mental health, love, loss, and self-empowerment, Space Case is a standout EP that artfully reminds us to extend grace and compassion to ourselves, no matter what.

The EP opens with its mighty lead single, “Mind Reader.” A pop-rock vibe right down to its bones, this song is an absolute bop. Inspired by an ill-fated therapy session that vocalist Nancy Bombard experienced, the song acts as an anthem of advocating for oneself when judged by those around you – particularly in a therapist/patient dynamic. Its lyrics are acutely aware of the vulnerability inherent to that experience: “She’s always judging me with those eyes/She’s always judging no surprise.” This heavy subject matter is counteracted by a vibrant palette of energy that’s completely infectious. You know you’re in for a ride from the first second of the song, which starts with a low note [courtesy of bassist Brian Bello] that slides into a bouncy rhythm leaning on a steady beat from drummer Melissa Koziel.

We recently caught up with the band and asked about the catalyst for transmitting the hardships of mental health into an artistic expression. Bombard explained, “I think taking any painful experience and turning it into something else is healing. I was young, emotional and misdiagnosed. I didn’t know at the time how to advocate for myself or to challenge a ‘professional adult’ when they advised me on something that didn’t feel right. I was lucky I had a family that really believed in me and finding answers to what I was struggling with at the time. I know not everyone has that and a lot of people turn to music for comfort.The song turning into a message to help others is the best part of it all and what I went through.” In this way, it’s easy to imagine listeners of all walks of life connecting with this message, maybe feeling unseen or misdiagnosed themselves. The unconventionality of shaping a song around this subject matter is precisely what sets it apart from the pack, placing it into a league of its own.

The title track, “Space Case,” comes in hot on the heels of “Mind Reader.” Steeped in a much harder rock groove than what we’ve just heard in the previous track, this song is an auditory feast that showcases each member’s musicianship and prowess. Aside from the band’s technical proficiency, the song wastes no time in booting us out of the nest so we can take flight alongside its glossy vocals from Bombard, an echoey, backing chorus of soaring notes in a high register, and driving electric guitar solo from the group’s guitarist Ryan Reynolds. The song highlights the experience of frequently getting lost in thought, then finding your footing through the grounding presence of someone else to whom you’ve grown close. It’s relatable to anyone who struggles with attention issues, inspired by Bombard’s own challenges as a person living with ADHD.

“Ghost Me” greets us with a balanced flow that affords us the chance to catch our breath and check in with ourselves after so much excitement and stimuli. With this more relaxed track, we can really sink into the deeply etched ridges and grooves that Move Like Creatures have carved into the musical landscape of this track. It’s also a good opportunity to take note of the talented producer and engineer Ethan Kaufmann, whose fingerprints are all over this EP. We asked the group about their experience working with Kaufmann and their desire to collaborate with him. Reynolds reflected, “Ethan really challenged me to improvise and create more interesting leads/riffs while trying to avoid the infamous ‘butt rock’ sound. To me, what’s really interesting about this EP is that about 80% of the guitar parts that ended up on the final tracks were made up on the spot in the studio — this includes the lead guitar part on the intro of ‘Ghost Me,’ pretty much all of the guitar parts on ‘Mind Reader,’ and much of the solo at the end of ‘Space Case.’” Kaufmann is an accomplished mastermind with experience working with Avril Lavigne and Ryan Cabrerra, not to mention his production work for his own bands, Wild Party and Fake Stacys.

The EP has fully hit its stride by now, and we venture forth with the bright, catchy sheen of “Pick Up What I Put Down.” Uptempo and optimistic in its lyrics of self-empowerment, it’s a song with a chameleon-like ability to apply to a variety of settings. You can easily picture it as the soundtrack to an evening drive with your windows down, the glittery pop vocals pouring out into the night breeze. Or maybe you’d hear it pumping through the speakers of your favorite store on a bustling, weekday afternoon. 1am at the club when you’re filled with nothing but dance moves and liquid courage. The background to a commercial for that new gadget that just hit the market, roller rinks, cafes. Truly, the possibilities for this track are endless, and you’re bound to have it on repeat while you ricochet around your house moving and grooving to its beat.

Rounding out the piece is “All Hung Up,” which succinctly captures feelings of inadequacies, comparisons, and facing the expectations we have for ourselves. It ultimately asks “am I good enough for someone else?” with a variation of that line repeating five times as the song comes to a close. It’s a poignant question — one which we’re sometimes too afraid to even let ourselves think about. Each band member lends themselves to the uplifting, charged electricity of this track. It’s not stagnant — the song evokes themes of motion. In asking difficult questions such as “am I good enough?,” personal progress is being made whether one realizes it or not. Perhaps it’s in moments far in the future when we can, in retrospect, see how valuable it was to have been asking these questions of ourselves.

This EP is a triumphant debut from Move Like Creatures. It unquestionably took the band a great deal of vulnerability and self-reflection to express themselves to each other in this songwriting process. In the studio as they exchanged thoughts and collaborated with Ethan. In their private moments alone with themselves as this piece came together. Guided by their strength, we, in turn, are encouraged to be seen, make ourselves known, and exist in our truths. Space Case is more than a collection of tracks — it’s a new vantage point. This EP extends an opportunity to shake up our kaleidoscopes and view ourselves with the grace, kindness and compassion that we’re all deserving of. And thank goodness for the chance to visit these themes through such a powerful collection of music.

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