Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’re going to delve into the band Mock Media. This is a band that I’ve recently found out exists, and I’m loving every song I hear. Their sound is so unique in the best ways. If you have heard them, I know you’re a big fan of their work. The British Columbia-based quartet is made of childhood friends Evan Aasen (guitars/voice), Garnet Aronyk Muhammad (bass/voice), Austin Boylan (guitars/voice), and Bennett Smith (drums). The group with the memorable name deserves a listen. They have two releases under their belts: their self-titled full-length debut album, Mock Media (2019), and their second album, fittingly titled Mock Media II (2024).
The press release for their new album Rat Bastard which is out Friday, July 17th via Mac’s Record Label (in the Americas) and Meat Machine Records (UK) describes the band’s current sound perfectly, “Rat Bastard laces Mock Media’s renegade punk hijinks with disparate styles such as Brazilian baile funk, The Beatles, Eurodance, Afrobeats, dub, Aboriginal folk, and heavy metal – a restless experimental drive solely overridden by the sweaty embrace of their correlative brotherhood. Syncopated rhythms etch into soil like glyphs of glory; a squall of voices shakes the pillars of heaven in matrimonial defiance; guitars blaze gasoline trails over smoldering asphalt roads.” If that doesn’t have you wanting to hear at least one of their songs, I don’t know what will.
If the phrase Mac’s Record Label sounds familiar, yes, this is a label from Canada’s own multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer, Mac DeMarco.
In the same press release, guitarist and vocalist Evan Aasen of Mock Media talks about the song “Straight Line” and says he “calls it a two-part song. The beginning is a rhythmic tribal groove that calls on life’s suffering and explodes into an EDM anthem inspired by Canada’s indigenous North and traditional Canadian folk music for all to sing along.” Credits for the song show Noa Acri, and Camryn Sproule as the vocalists for the traditional folk song.
Before we get into a few of the album songs and the review, Mock Media leaves us with these words: “We’re constantly trying to channel that spiritual energy, and it’s hard, especially in recordings. We feel like we’ve achieved it live before, but we want to fully lose ourselves and lock in as a group. As for any specific message: we really just care about each other, and about making music together. At the end of the day, it’s us singing and us playing together… and that’s all we really know how to do.”
And now for some hype for your eyes and ears via Mock Media’s YouTube channel:
All the twists and turns, masks and vintage vibes within the video for the anthemic song “Mock City Rock”:
(All credits and rights to Mock Media)
But how good is the titular song? Listen to “Rat Bastard” and see for yourself.:
(All credits and rights to Mock Media)
Respect to the elders and also to modern EDM in this groovetastic song, “Straight Line”:
(All credits and rights to Mock Media)
Overall, Rat Bastard is a name that will turn some music fans and average consumers away. Similar to Scummy Water Tower, eh? But don’t judge an excellent album or site by its name. Both are catchy as hell and leave a human wondering and hopefully asking questions. Cause we’re not robots yet, right? The connotation of being called a rat bastard is not a phrase that many strive for. I feel like I’ve seen and heard this phrase in a lot of mafia movies and shows set on the East Coast of the US. What comes to mind for you? I’m a fan of domesticated rats as they’re so smart, cute, and good pets, and also this site, SWT. We hope you are, too, if you’re here reading this. There’s a lot of coverage to look through on this wonderful site. Thanks for being here.
The band Mock Media is out here making music that no other band sounds like in 2026. And all of it on Rat Bastard is fucking fantastic. The album features a variety of diverse sounds and melodies, and manages to flow well from song to song. It’s a smooth groove and fabulous listening experience from start to finish. Kudos to the band on their songcraft and musicianship. They are truly skilled and deserve all the love. The vocals are soothing at times, more propulsive at others, but always catching your ears and attention. And the vocal delivery and tone always match the melody perfectly. Kudos. This is a dance party album; add it to your driving or travel playlist. Probably sounds good in a vacation setting, too, before some energetic activities.
This is your reminder to listen to Mock Media if you aren’t! This album kicks off with one of its best earworms, the anthemic “Mock City Rock,” which is an absolute groove and propulsive from start to finish. It’s funk, groovetastic, and the guitarwork and melody is a masterclass on musicianship. At points, homage to The Clash while still being an original creation. The vocals are chanted and impactful. If you’re not at least bobbing your head, check your pulse after. This song is perfect for a dance party, wherever you are, in the dining room or on the road. I think I could listen to an entire album of songs like “Mock City Rock” without getting sick of it. Listener, what do you think? The next song, “Take It,” slows the bpm down to a sultry dance, leading to the titular song that also stands on its own. It showcases some great solos. The fourth song, “Fell From the Top,” is a nice reggae groove, complete with plenty of funk in its sound. The midpoint on the album is the song “Crushed,” whose drumming leads the melodic charge, then gives way to other percussion, some nifty basswork, and vocals. The melody in “City’s on Fire” is a total groove, and the listener will love every second as it prances and jams. Followed by a more R&B and Afrobeats sound and vibe to the song “White Lion”, which is a beautiful song in general. The harmonies shine, as does this crafted melody that jaunts and carries you along, whether you close your eyes while listening or not. The back-and-forth playful melody and trading vocals within “Turn For The World” mesh with a eurodance rhythm on the album’s longest song. The second last song on Rat Bastard, “Built For Speed,” lives up to its title. Cue punk pacing in this hard charging melody. The vocals, again, like every other one, match the pacing and theme so damn well. The album ends with a gorgeous song that shows a lot of respect for Indigenous peoples in Canada and also Canadian folk music. Sprinkle in a dose of EDM, and the beat accelerates in another song with moments of feverish dance-party energy. The credited vocalists are natives and not members of Mock Media.
All that accounted for, Rat Bastard gets 4.5 out of 5 Scum Drops relative to all new full album releases in 2026. For a time, I went back and forth between 4 and 4.5 Scum Drops, but I feel that the album slides into 4.5 Scum Drops territory on the lower end of the range. Still, that’s the 84th-87th percentile. An album with a lot to like and something that the band should be proud of. Arguably the best Mock Media album so far. I think so. Long-time fans, what do you think? Add this album to your collection on the formats of your choosing. Getting this on vinyl is a must for me.
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process with Rat Bastard will take a mere 38 minutes from start to finish and just over an hour if you listen twice back-to-back. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After several listens, I found the songs highlighted in green below to be my favorites on this album.
The tracklist for Rat Bastard  (song length)
- Mock City Rock (3:23)
- Take It (3:47)
- Rat Bastard (3:53)
- Fell From The Top (3:23)
- Crushed (3:34)
- City’s On Fire (4:02)
- White Lion (3:35)
- Turn For The World (4:18)
- Built For Speed (2:54)
- Straight Line (4:00)
Total runtime: 37:39
Their YouTube channel, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp pages.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
