Toronto’s Mad Iris formed in 2023 with the look, sound, and feel of a mid-90s garage band; four friends with guitars. Their music pivots between noise rock, punk, shoegaze, and grunge, plucking sounds from bands like Sonic Youth, Swirlies, and the Breeders. Frontwomen Kaiya Rosie and Ela Hintasu blend bratty screams with hushed sighs, contrasting Parick Muldoon’s kaleidoscope guitar distortion and Josh Pryce’s roaring drum beats. 

The group established themselves by cutting their teeth in Toronto’s underground alternative scene, becoming a local staple. On stage, they trade instruments between songs, taking turns in the lead with infectious chemistry. Each track wears similar clothes in different genres, propelling towards disaster, then bending backwards, shifting from gritty-feedback to dreamy haze to masterful sloppiness.

Since their formation, Mad Iris has released six singles accompanied by a wall of noisy visuals: old school MTV music videos, scrapbook show flyers, alleyway photoshoots, and slacker-rock fashion. This DIY attitude is captured in their upcoming debut album, a seven track record that teeters between soft and loud, pretty and dirty.

Their new single, “Poor Baby”, is soaked in self-pity and pointing fingers. Starting with scratchy dual vocals and a warm, analogue guitar line, the song slides into a chorus that’s like a dial increasing the pitch.