On ‘Turbulence’ frontman Zak has penned a searing anthem that catapults the listener onto a claustrophobic high-octane joyride replete with such vivid imagery you’d think Ken Kesey’s Furthur bus has sprouted wings and a pair of turbines.
The chorus is pivoted around Rashid’s trance-like refrain (“this is your captain speaking / Never forget this feeling”) which grows in menace like the turbulence of a tin can rattling seven miles high above the ocean. Rashid says “it’s a nod to mental health seen through a cinematic plane crash.” The accompanying video ostensibly appears to be the fulfilment of male fantasy – the horny teenager and the sexually available teacher, but the fantasy is quickly subverted in a moment of bathos. It was filmed during the Coronavirus pandemic adhering to safety measures. Keen-eyed treasure hunters will also find an easter egg somewhere in the video.
‘Turbulence’ is released together with a leering alternate industrial mix by guitarist Lenny, which he laughingly describes as “like Nine Inch Nails soaking up reruns of Twin Peaks in the early hours…”
Mint comes from the dolorous landscape of West Marsh, Grimsby. The northern and eastern boundaries are formed by Alexandra Dock, while the western edge is subsumed into the smog of the Pyewipe industrial area. The south is bordered by impassable railway tracks. It is an area with little hope, no tourists, and the dried-up husk of a once prosperous fishing industry. Zak, Veggie, Lenny and Bambi all attended the same school, though the semantics of the word ‘attended’ is loosely applied here.
They formed a close bond while locking horns over their different music tastes. Guitarist Lenny drew inspiration from the avant-garde sounds of Nick Cave, The Birthday Party and The Pop Group, while the other three members leaned towards indie classics and the harder edges of rock. They went on to study at Grimsby Institute and the idea to form a band was soon realised and became serious in 2018. Being half Palestinian and sporting wild hair in an area affiliated with skinheads, frontman Zak Rashid had it hardest coming up and started to look outside of his home town. He was a young pro skateboarder and surfer by day and taught himself graphic design by night. When he is not gigging he runs the (only NE) local surf shop and designs artwork for artists such as Lucy Spraggan, Black Honey and False Heads. Lenny works in the cafe next door whilst Bambi and Veggie work shifts in soup canning factories.
Mint has enjoyed UK radio support from Radio 1 and playlisting on Radio X and have performed at all major UK festivals. In mid-2019 they started to realise their sound, an idiosyncratic fusion of indie melodies set to beefier instrumentation. Recently they have begun work with award-winning production team Sugar House and taken on management.
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