Words By: Bre Offenberger

The Haunt have released their sophomore EP, Social Intercourse, a glimmer of golden in the world’s past year of gray. Fusing elements of rock, alternative, dream pop, indie and more, the band have created not only a distinct and worthwhile identity, but also one of the best projects of the year.

The album opens with “Brag About,” as brooding synths line the walls and totally mislead listeners — in a good way. Frontwoman Anastasia Grace gets right to it, letting her significant other know she feels alienated from them as well as her other loved ones, and she’s struggling to uncover any hope in the situation. The space transforms into an electric atmosphere that’s reminiscent of barricade seats at a sold out show, with guitars bouncing off the walls and drums vibrating your world with more force than the first rumble of a thunder during a storm. Grace ends by saying she feels as far as humanly possible from her, and though she knows they can’t promise anything, all she can hope for is they’ll be waiting for her when she breaks out of her rut.

In “Wish You Stayed,” Grace discusses how she chose to leave her ex after finding herself unable to take care of and love herself. The decision was what was best for both of them, but that didn’t make it any less heart-wrenching. As her ex comes back to tell her they wish she would’ve held on, the production rises into a boiling pot of trap beats and fury at herself. As she looks around, she sees everything she’s ever loved disintegrated and on the ground, including this former love that was oh-so good but nonrefundable. It ends with her ex’s words crushing her skull, leaving her with a permanent agony she can’t liberate herself of.

“Constant” could’ve been stripped right off PVRIS’ next album. Guitars that ooze with serenity run back and forth and help bring Grace in as she confronts her partner and lets them know what they’re doing is bothering her. She even acknowledges this fight has happened before, but nothing has changed. They break out into a full-fledged brawl in the chorus, behind explosive synths, but that doesn’t stop them reconciling via a make-out session. It’s an intriguing deep dive into how some relationships can work solely off physical attraction.

Fortunately, the video for “Permanent” also dropped alongside the EP. Grace is found sitting in a garden of flowers, contemplating existence and why she continually feels the pain she does. Glitchy glimpses of her flash before the camera pans to a shot of the quartet all wearing gold and leaning against a wall. Soon, glances into the troubled mindsets of all the members are provided. When the four are together, they look compact and at ease. When they’re apart and in the dark, however, it looks like their distressed brains are eating them from the inside out. At the end, they all walk together into the darkness of the night, hopefully searching for an end to their pain that was promised to be provisional.

The closer, “Twisted Dream,” is a stark contrast from the rest of the album — but that’s not a bad thing. Grace opens with vocals that could pacify an angry bull, trying to reassure her partner that nothing is going to happen between them because she’s in it for the long haul. Her partner is so paranoid, in fact, they think the two of them are going to end up killing each other. Behind a whirl of synths that bring the fear to a standstill, she tells them to sit down, take a breather and remember the real her, not the intrusive thoughts rupturing their perception of her. It ends with a whisper: a gentle but reassuring conclusion to the album.

Of the EP, the sibling leaders of The Haunt, Grace and guitarist/co-vocalist Maxamillion Haunt share: “In order to engage in social intercourse, one must consider the other individual to be significant. This situation can be expressed through shared music, laughter, or deep and meaningful conversation. We named it ‘Social Intercourse’ because of the internal struggles we all face, trying to exist in the world how it is right now. Also, releasing an EP during a pandemic is fucking weird!”

Though all of these songs were previously released, each still feels as fresh as ever. Not only does The Haunt’s music span the spectrum of emotion and sonic elements, but it discusses subject matter that makes our heart skip a beat with exhilaration. You won’t regret listening to this EP — because it’ll be your favorite of the year before you know it.

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