{"id":43285,"date":"2025-07-21T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=43285"},"modified":"2025-07-01T07:47:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T11:47:20","slug":"mk-naomis-dream-hiss-ep-a-sonic-fever-dream-of-grief-growth-and-glorious-hooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=43285","title":{"rendered":"MK Naomi\u2019s \u2018Dream Hiss\u2019 EP: A sonic fever dream of grief, growth, and glorious hooks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Boston\u2019s underground scene just got a dose of dream-drenched clarity:&nbsp;MK Naomi&nbsp;has officially dropped their debut EP,&nbsp;\u2018Dream Hiss,\u2019 out now via Sweet Cheetah Records. And honestly? It rips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve never heard of MK Naomi, here\u2019s your chance to correct that immediately. Self-described as an \u201c<em>emo-pop hallucination,<\/em>\u201d the band\u2019s name nods to a covert CIA bioweapons program, but their sound is far more emotionally disarming than militaristic. Think glowing-in-the-dark guitar hooks, &#8217;90s-flavoured fuzz, and just the right amount of existential ache. They proudly claim to be fans of the\u00a0<em>Ten Things I Hate About You<\/em>\u00a0soundtrack, which is about as accurate a sonic compass as you could ask for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Dream Hiss<\/em>&nbsp;isn\u2019t just a debut EP\u2014it\u2019s a cathartic release valve. Written in the fallout of years riddled with personal loss, mental health struggles, and the pandemic-era soul scramble, these four tracks live in the grey space between unraveling and healing. It\u2019s music for the in-between moments\u2014the parts where you\u2019re moving forward, but still shadowboxing with what came before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201c<em>This EP is centered around vulnerability,\u201d<\/em> says bassist\/vocalist Andrea Neuenfeldt. \u201c<em>Some of these songs were born out of deep isolation during Covid, but really, they\u2019re about the emotional aftershocks of earlier life upheaval\u2014trying to process everything once the dust starts to settle.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The title&nbsp;\u2018Dream Hiss\u2019 came from a moment of feline reverie\u2014drummer Ally Bull watching her cat twitch through a particularly vivid sleep. But to Andrea, it hit deeper: \u201c<em>To me, it reflects the heavy experiences that seem \u2018done\u2019 but linger beyond our conscious reach.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The band itself is a bit of a Boston all-star reincarnation, rising from the ashes of two beloved local acts\u2014Birdwatching and Elephants\u2014both of which met an untimely end. MK Naomi keeps the torch burning for that special brand of artistically assertive, women-led rock the city\u2019s always done well (think The Breeders, Throwing Muses, Salem 66), with a fresh spin that lands them comfortably next to Remember Sports, Tigers Jaw, and Soccer Mommy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the core are co-vocalists\/songwriters Andrea Neuenfeldt and Lauren Garant (also of Daphne Blue Underworld), whose intertwined vocals glide between confessional softness and full-throated catharsis. Guitarist Tom Ciesluk (No Trigger, Save Ends) lays down steady rhythm work while Ally Bull (Radio Compass, Green Piece) holds it all down with pounding, purposeful percussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soft verses? Loud choruses? Check. Songs for crying, driving, or crying while driving? Also check.\u00a0\u2018Dream Hiss\u2019\u00a0is tailor-made for anyone finding beauty in the mess, heartbreak in the hooks, and hope in the haze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Grab a copy or stream it here:<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/mknaomima.bandcamp.com\/album\/dream-hiss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">https:\/\/mknaomima.bandcamp.com\/album\/dream-hiss<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Boston\u2019s emo-pop revival just got a new patron saint. Don\u2019t sleep on MK Naomi. Or do, and see if you dream in hiss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Boston\u2019s underground scene just got a dose of dream-drenched clarity:&nbsp;MK Naomi&nbsp;has officially dropped their debut EP,&nbsp;\u2018Dream Hiss,\u2019 out now via Sweet Cheetah Records. And honestly? <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=43285\" title=\"MK Naomi\u2019s \u2018Dream Hiss\u2019 EP: A sonic fever dream of grief, growth, and glorious hooks\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"MK Naomi\u2019s \u2018Dream Hiss\u2019 EP: A sonic fever dream of grief, growth, and glorious hooks #mknaomi #dreamhiss #music #indiemusic","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2,"attached_media":[{"id":43287,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_5031.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}]},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[22,23,28,30,1907],"tags":[12842,438,12841],"class_list":["post-43285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guitar-rock","category-indie","category-music","category-new-release","category-news","tag-dream-hiss","tag-ep","tag-mk-naomi"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_5031.jpeg?fit=700%2C467","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2B2TV-bg9","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":19229,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=19229","url_meta":{"origin":43285,"position":0},"title":"HUNCK stream debut &#8216;Never Had A Dream&#8217; EP","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"January 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"London based band\u00a0HUNCK\u00a0have announced the release of their debut EP on January 29, 2016. Comprised of 4 tracks,\u00a0the band have been performing this year, the self-titled EP also features new track Never Had a Dream. Take a listen to the 'Never Had A Dream' EP via Soundcloud below.\u00a0 The band\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;live&quot;","block_context":{"text":"live","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=25"},"img":{"alt_text":"HUNCK Barbican","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/HunckBarbicanLoRes_1.jpg?fit=465%2C311&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14884,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=14884","url_meta":{"origin":43285,"position":1},"title":"Hunck reveal new single &#8216;I&#8217;ll Wait&#8217;","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"September 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"London-based band\u00a0HUNCK\u00a0release their new single I'll Wait on October 16, a wonderful mixture of dream-pop vibes, killer vocal melodies and psych guitars. Take a listen to I'll Wait\u00a0via Soundcloud below. HUNCK were born out of the post-riot depths of Tottenham in 2013. Estranged childhood friends Frederik and Thomas reconnected after\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/5tqs_Hunk3LoRes.jpg?fit=500%2C333&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":29323,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=29323","url_meta":{"origin":43285,"position":2},"title":"A Shoreline Dream announce &#8216;Waitout&#8217; EP","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"May 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Colorado gaze-rockers\u00a0A Shoreline Dream have reunited with the band's original drummer Gabriel Ratliff to release their new 'Waitout' EP via\u00a0Latenight Weeknight Records, which includes two brand new songs alongside new re-masters of three of their favourite tracks from the past. While Ryan Policky (vocals, guitar, keys, bass) and Erik Jeffries\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"A Shoreline Dream","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/249227.jpg?fit=425%2C283&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":29555,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=29555","url_meta":{"origin":43285,"position":3},"title":"A Shoreline Dream share new video for &#8216;Waitout&#8217; single","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"August 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Colorado-based progressive shoegaze post-punk outfit A Shoreline Dream has shared their new Waitout video from the EP by the same name, released via Latenight Weeknight Records. Check it out via YouTube below. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IdLYX7Wqh3Y For this release, frontman Ryan Policky (vocals, guitar, keys, bass) and Erik Jeffries (guitar) have reunited with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;indie&quot;","block_context":{"text":"indie","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"A Shoreline Dream","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/111498-3.jpg?fit=880%2C1092&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/111498-3.jpg?fit=880%2C1092&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/111498-3.jpg?fit=880%2C1092&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/111498-3.jpg?fit=880%2C1092&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44252,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=44252","url_meta":{"origin":43285,"position":4},"title":"Out of the silence: lowsunday\u2019s dreamlike return on the \u2018White\u2019 EP","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"February 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Legacy doesn\u2019t usually creep back this quietly \u2014 but lowsunday have never played by obvious rules. The post-punk\/shoegaze cult favourites have just shared\u00a0Soft Capture,\u00a0a brooding, slow-burn single paired with a striking new video by\u00a0Jer Herring. It\u2019s the second release from their long-awaited return,\u00a0\u2018Low Sunday Ghost Machine \u2013 White\u2019 EP, following\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lowsunday press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_6979.jpeg?fit=800%2C597&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_6979.jpeg?fit=800%2C597&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_6979.jpeg?fit=800%2C597&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_6979.jpeg?fit=800%2C597&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42547,"url":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?p=42547","url_meta":{"origin":43285,"position":5},"title":"Meet Steel Wool: LA\u2019s shoegaze newcomers drop a fuzz-drenched debut EP","author":"cultureaddicts","date":"June 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Steel Wool, the rising shoegaze outfit from Los Angeles, have officially arrived with the release of their self-titled debut EP\u2014out now on cassette and digital via indie label Bug Body. Equal parts dreamy and destructive, it\u2019s the kind of record that feels like it was born in a cloud of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;guitar rock&quot;","block_context":{"text":"guitar rock","link":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Steel Wool press photo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C796&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C796&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C796&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C796&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureaddicts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C796&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43285"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43285\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43289,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43285\/revisions\/43289"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/cultureaddicts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}