Brooklyn based composer, producer, drummer, and guitarist (Mike Birnbaum) is the mastermind behind the band Sickpay, who just released a punk-fueled 5-track EP entitled Pureocracy.
This solo project embraces chaos and experimental melodies over guitars and electric rhythms, with tracks like “How Many Times” reminding us a bit of the chaotic energy of Nirvana’s album, Bleach, mixed with echoed vocals.
“Pureocracy was born in the darkest days of the pandemic, but is filled with ecstatic anthems for our era,” says Mike.
“Recorded in a small Brooklyn studio, these five songs feature big choruses, to-the-point tunes about living through existential oppression. Enjoy the freedom and release that comes from yell singing out of the holler.”
You can find the Pureocracy t-shirt above here: https://sickpay.bigcartel.com/products.
When asked about his distinctly punk musical approach, Mike said, “It has been a gradual descent into making my own punk music.” After being in rock bands since high school, his style of music kept getting punkier with time.
“I’ve been part of punk adjacent communities for a long time and it’s just what seemed to naturally happen when picking up a guitar,” he shared.
Mike is clearly doing something right, because under the name D. Gookin, his song “Glad I Met You” was downloaded on Spotify more than one million times, his song “Remember” was used in an Oil of Olay commercial, and his song “Croak” was on an episode of Broad City.
Pureocracy is available now on major platforms.
Check it out on Spotify below:
Connect with Sickpay:
Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Bandcamp
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