Lauren Mayberry and Chvrches may be mainstays of electronic-pop, but with their album, Screen Violence, they’re in no mood to play it safe. The project delivers a visceral, cinematic soundscape where Mayberry confronts not only her personal fears but also the public pressures of existing under constant scrutiny. This time, however, the band isn't here to polish their signature pop sheen. Instead, they're harnessing the ominous influence of horror—a genre that Mayberry says has long felt like home. “Horror movies and those sounds have always been in the background for us,” she explains, her voice teetering between nostalgia and rebellion.
From eerie synths reminiscent of John Carpenter’s slasher scores to haunting vocals that feel like a midnight confession, Screen Violence channels classic 80s horror, drawing on references from The Lost Boys and beyond. Chvrches doesn’t shy away from cinematic nods: their recent cover of “Cry Little Sister,” a track indelibly tied to The Lost Boys, underscores their commitment to the macabre. But for Mayberry, the connection to horror is more than a stylistic choice; it’s a cathartic outlet. In a society where women are often “watched, hunted, and constantly on the run,” she uses the genre as a mirror, confronting her fears through lyrics that feel like diary entries dressed in synths and shadows.
Still, it’s not all existential dread. Tracks like “Good Girls” inject a dose of venom with lines like “Kill your idols,” where Mayberry openly questions the problematic legacies of her male musical heroes. For a band that has consistently toyed with the dualities of power and vulnerability, Screen Violence feels like a climax—less of a retreat into darkness and more a triumphant reclamation of it.
And perhaps the most surreal twist? The Cure’s Robert Smith lending his spectral vocals to “How Not to Drown,” a feature that, for Chvrches, was nothing short of surreal. “To work with someone like him,” Mayberry reflects, “who understands the weight of being both myth and man, was incredibly special.” The collaboration serves as a bridge between past and present, capturing the eerie essence of both the band and their icon.
For Chvrches, Screen Violence is more than an album; it’s a manifesto on survival, a blood-streaked valentine to horror and a reminder that sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones we carry within ourselves. It’s not only a sonic evolution but a statement of resilience—dressed in neon and ready for the big screen.
Watch the interview above and then check out the videos below.
