Brooklyn experimenters Grumpy are tearing down expectations of gender and genre

There’s a standout track on Grumpy’s new album ‘Unfindable Ring’, called ‘Twenty Five’, on which songwriter Heaven Schmitt imagines for a minute that time travel is real. “The concept for that song came up at home,” he says, speaking on Zoom alongside Grumpy bassist and his girlfriend, Ellie Long (synthesist Anya Good and guitarist Diego Clare also join from their respective homes). “Ellie and I were talking about being trans, and Ellie said that if she had the opportunity, she would go back in time and transition at a younger age. And I initially had such a selfish thought about that – I was like, ‘Oh my god, but what if then we don’t meet?’” The song ended up being, in part, a plea from Schmitt to Long to come and find him when she makes it back to the present day; but also – time travel or not – a sweet ode to trans love. “I love watching you as you’re changing”, Schmitt sings. The acceptance of change and fluidity that is essential to the trans experience is ever-present in Grumpy’s music. Lyrically, it’s all over ‘Unfindable Ring’ – in the jubilant songs that celebrate a love that changes shape (‘Twenty Five’, ‘OBL’), and the sadder ones that work their way to acceptance that ...