Biography
Melbourne's Screensaver craft a dense, synth-heavy strain of post-punk laced with gothic atmosphere, anchored by the commanding voice and keyboard work of Krystal Maynard. The group draws personnel from established Australian post-punk outfits including Rat Columns and EXEK. Their signature sound first surfaced on the 2021 release Expressions of Interest, while the follow-up Decent Shapes, issued two years later, folded in new-wave textures and broader electronic explorations.
Maynard and guitarist/keyboardist Christopher Stephenson crossed paths in 2014 during a Berlin concert shared by their then-bands Spray Paint and Bad Vision. The two connected immediately and began collaborating musically in 2016, initially exchanging ideas remotely while Stephenson lived in Austin, Texas, and Maynard remained in Melbourne, then continuing face-to-face once he relocated to Australia. What began as four-track Casio sketches augmented by Maynard's vocals expanded into a complete ensemble once bassist Giles Fielke, formerly of Low Tide, and drummer James Beck, also of Personal Touch and previously Rat Columns, joined. Taking cues from 1977 punk and the darker atmospheres of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division, Screensaver launched local performances and a scattering of U.S. shows in 2019 while simultaneously circulating demos of their full-band material.
October 2020 brought their first single, "Strange Anxiety," along with contributions to the benefit collection A Complication for Edgar supporting Edgar's Mission Sanctuary and the lockdown-themed Australian compilation A Long Time Alone 2. Much of the debut album was captured while members remained in isolation, granting them space for a deliberate, exploratory process distinct from conventional studio sessions. The January 2021 single "Living in an Instant," mastered by synth-punk specialist Mikey Young, paved the way for Expressions of Interest, which surfaced that October via Upset the Rhythm.
Between full-lengths the band issued multiple remixed versions of earlier tracks and, in 2022, the limited-edition "Clean Cuts"/"Repeats" single, available digitally and as a 150-copy 7" that vanished from circulation at once. Their sophomore album Decent Shapes followed in October 2023, again on Upset the Rhythm, as the group delved further into new-wave reference points and began rotating instrumental roles across individual songs.
Maynard and guitarist/keyboardist Christopher Stephenson crossed paths in 2014 during a Berlin concert shared by their then-bands Spray Paint and Bad Vision. The two connected immediately and began collaborating musically in 2016, initially exchanging ideas remotely while Stephenson lived in Austin, Texas, and Maynard remained in Melbourne, then continuing face-to-face once he relocated to Australia. What began as four-track Casio sketches augmented by Maynard's vocals expanded into a complete ensemble once bassist Giles Fielke, formerly of Low Tide, and drummer James Beck, also of Personal Touch and previously Rat Columns, joined. Taking cues from 1977 punk and the darker atmospheres of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division, Screensaver launched local performances and a scattering of U.S. shows in 2019 while simultaneously circulating demos of their full-band material.
October 2020 brought their first single, "Strange Anxiety," along with contributions to the benefit collection A Complication for Edgar supporting Edgar's Mission Sanctuary and the lockdown-themed Australian compilation A Long Time Alone 2. Much of the debut album was captured while members remained in isolation, granting them space for a deliberate, exploratory process distinct from conventional studio sessions. The January 2021 single "Living in an Instant," mastered by synth-punk specialist Mikey Young, paved the way for Expressions of Interest, which surfaced that October via Upset the Rhythm.
Between full-lengths the band issued multiple remixed versions of earlier tracks and, in 2022, the limited-edition "Clean Cuts"/"Repeats" single, available digitally and as a 150-copy 7" that vanished from circulation at once. Their sophomore album Decent Shapes followed in October 2023, again on Upset the Rhythm, as the group delved further into new-wave reference points and began rotating instrumental roles across individual songs.
Albums
Singles
