Bonniesongs is the musical alias of Bonnie Stewart, an Irish-born, Australia-based multi-instrumentalist whose offbeat songwriting has been labeled as “ethereal grunge.” Today, she arrives with a singular track that stands out, titled “Scream.”
“Scream” moves forward with a stubborn gait. A growling guitar glides alongside Stewart’s pliant, misty vocal lines. A persistent kick drum anchors the track, preventing it from slipping away. Tiny traces of piano and toy-like xylophone tones poke through, teasing the groove. As the song nears its conclusion, chaos begins to take hold.
Stewart shared on Bandcamp that the piece is about being overwhelmed, anxious, and stretched to your limit, yet somehow being dragged onward through it all. The absence of a vocal chorus acts as a kind of manic optimism, as if everything’s okay while you carry on with the day. The gritty, rock-infused sound is threaded with chaotic chromatic touches and toy piano, a nod to her circus days, while looping Shepard tones add a surreal, disorienting feeling. As the track progresses, it grows increasingly unhinged, eventually starting to crumble apart.
Listen below.
