mint mind
mostly fuzzy, sometimes trippy, sometimes synthy. always with a foot in the annals of indie.


photo: conny winter

popular details that inquiring minds want to know:

"Heavy music for nerdy people", that's how someone once described the music of Mint Mind. "For" or "from"? Both, of course. After the first songs of their new album "VG+", you get a feeling of what the world of Mint Mind looks like: instruments and amplifiers from several decades loosely piled and organized. In front of, next to and between them are synthesizers and effects, some as big as microwave ovens. On the crooked record shelf are handfuls of comics, albums by New Order, Devo, almost the entire SST catalog, as well as Krautrock classics by Can and Faust.

The sound of Mint Mind combines sweet and sour, fuzzy riffs with the freedom and sentiment of 80’s post-punk/indie. on "vg+"Synthesizers have become a more central instrument this time. From playful and strange sounds to the eerie and dark, the album is littered with textures and ear candy to discover.

mostly fuzzy, sometimes trippy, sometimes synthie, but always with a foot in the annals of indie.

discography

“near mint” debut was released originally on wiener/upper room records cassette 2015. in 2016 “near mint” was released on LP and in all worldwide digital outlets. additional instruments on the album were provided by sven Janetzko (drums, vox) and frank stöckling (guitar, vox). mastered by jörg milling at minyon mastering.

in 2018 a 12” split e.p. with starkleaner was released on la suisse primitive records transnational series (switzerland) and digitally released as “my new skateboard e.p.”.additional instruments on the e.p. were provided by jil hesse (drums) and hendrik boehne (guitar). mastered by jörg milling at minyon mastering.

 a cover version of the Die Sterne’s “stell die verbindung her” is included on the tribute sampler “machs besser”. Die Sterne have also been known to cover mint mind’s cover of their own song in their live set. additional instruments on the track were provided by zac johnson (guitar, vox)

January 2020 marks the release of mint mind’s second long player “’thoughtsicles” available on LP, cd (with bonus cd containing “near mint” and “my new skateboard e.p.”) and all digital outlets. the album was once again written, recorded and mixed by Rick McPhail at his upper room studio assisted by zac johnson (ex readymade) and includes a cameo appearance by zac on the track “alcoholicity”.  mastered by philipp welsing at original mastering. “thoughtsicles” features tim wenzlick (drums) and christian klindworth (guitar).

November 2023 third LP "VG+" released. written, recorded and mixed by Rick McPhail at his upper room studio. Mastered by chris von rautenkranz at soundgarden mastering. "VG+" features Friedel Viegener (drums/vox) and christian klindworth (guitar).

mint mind performs live as a trio with

richard (rick) arthur mcphail – vox/guitars/keys

Friedel Viegener – drums/vox

christian klindworth – guitar