Brain Sex (Foreplay)

2 days ago
5 min read

Released: 2026

Genre: Punk, Grunge

Sounds Like: Unwound, Polvo, Cherubs

Homeland: Illinois

What makes Foreplay elite and sit atop OHMs Peak?

*Brain Sex* has created an incredible album packed with raw, 90s-inspired post-punk grunge.
The dual vocals exhibit a traditional, intense punk attitude filled with desperation and emotion.
The production has a DIY feel that suits this style of punk rock perfectly. It's not overly polished and seems like it will translate well in a live performance.

Track Listing:

BPD 03:13
Tilly 05:43
Scotty's a Bitch 02:34
Delta G Double Dagger 04:34
Whiff 05:54

Dive deeper into Foreplay with our Q&A with Brain Sex.

OHMs Peak: On ‘Foreplay’, the dual‑vocal dynamic is one of the most striking elements of your sound. How intentional was the contrast between Madison’s calming, dark, almost ethereal delivery and Max’s feral post‑hardcore energy? How do you balance the chaos with the more atmospheric, introspective moments that appear throughout the EP?

Brain Sex: The choice wasn’t too intentional, we choose the best of our newer material and it just so happened to have an interesting dynamic between the vocals. We did however curate the style of each song to create a wider dynamic range within the EP. We wanted to capture the energy of seeing us live, with a raw sound and a even split of both of our vocalists.

OHMs Peak: “Tilly” is our favorite track on the EP — it hits with a really distinct emotional weight. Can you walk us through its meaning, how it came together, and what sparked the creative direction behind it?

Brain Sex: “I had just watched the movie Bound from ‘96 and was buzzing off of this euphoria of what it’s like to be in lust with another woman. I wanted to capture how that felt and really paint the picture of my own experiences—almost obsession. There’s a lot of depth and complexity in relationships like that, the intimacy can be exciting. I wanted the lyrics to be dark but relatable, I guess it’s written about women but I left it open to interpretation. It’s a horny song, it’s got a lot of sexual undertones. In the second verse I get into some historical images too with Sappho and the porch of the king (which was originally porch of the queen but I changed it). I’ve always associated that ancient Mediterranean vibe with romance and mystery and intimacy. It felt fitting. The last verse ends with one of my favorite lines I’ve ever written about heaven and poison and vomiting to taste it all over again. I don’t know it’s obsessive, it’s addictive, it’s threatening almost. I like to think I did an alright job conveying that.” - Madi

OHMs Peak: Take us through the album cover art. Who created the caricature and risqué art. How did the concept align with ‘Foreplay’.

Brain Sex: We did an art contest with our fans, top prize was the album cover! The winner was Corvin, @rabid.designs on Instagram. The cover art features a portrait by Egon Schiele, title “Standing Nude with Orange Drapery”, presented in a collage. The piece is on a ripped piece of paper, with a splattering of paint over top and the title at the top. We all instantly connected with this one. There’s a duality to the art: the black and white sections; a provocative pose covered with tape; it captures difficulty in wanted to express yourself to the fullest, but feeling like you have to hold yourself back. It’s phenomenal art, but it’s also intentionally messy, rough around the edges, and highlights imperfections. I think the reason we all connected with it is that these traits are all common in our music and the themes of our songs. In that way, it was perfect.

OHMs Peak: Brain Sex has been described as grunge‑inspired punk with grinding riffs and breakneck drums. Take us back to the beginning …how did Brain Sex form? What were each of you … Max, Ratt, and Madison doing musically before this project, and what made this lineup click in a way your previous projects didn’t?

Brain Sex: Rat started brain sex because they were in a band called Crazy Low that wasn’t going anywhere. They eventually started writing music with an old member of the band, eventually they were making music they liked a lot more. They’ve been in the band since the start and it’s been over 3 years of figuring out what sticks. Madi was the second to join of this lineup, and she had been living in Champaign a few months and Rat started seeing Madi’s roommate. Upon learning they both did music, they invited Madi to jam and she stuck with the band since then. Reyansh was the third to join, and came along a few years after the start of the band. He saw brain sex at a show and told them that he loved their music and plays the drums. Rat told him he could jam with the band and invited him to Madi’s place, without letting Madi know. Madi had no idea who he was and basically told him to leave her house. When he explained they rescheduled and he was a perfect fit for the band. Addie was the most recent addition, and he answered an Instagram request for a new guitarist when the old one quit. Madi and Rat invited him to jam with a few of the songs and he made the cut, and it’s been this group since. The group on paper aren’t good fits for one another; we all have extremely different tastes in music, ranging from classic rock to prog metal, hardcore to folk. However, these differences in tastes have led us all to get used to adapting our own capabilities to best fit the song, which has succeeded in creating a really unique sound.

OHMs Peak: Champaign‑Urbana has a reputation for nurturing talented, high‑energy DIY acts. How has the local scene shaped your identity as a band?

Brain Sex: The scene in Urbana is incredible. It feels like a gem and to be thrown straight in the middle of it from the start has been so good for us. In a way the high energy that each show has can kind of cloud your judgement. It can be a bit jarring to have the crowd experience be so different from the performers experience; having fans come tell you how insane your show was when you didn’t really feel that good about it has made us doubt if we’re any good at all at times. As confusing as that can be, I think it made all of us reevaluate our standards. Now I feel like we’re all writing music from a place of trying to impress ourselves, rather than trying to make crowd pleaser music.

OHMs Peak: If Brain Sex were stranded on a desert island with only a solar‑powered record player and could collectively choose just one album to bring, which album would you agree on — and why?

Brain Sex: We can’t choose one, so would rather let the surf take us than pick one album.

Follow Brain Sex: Instagram

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDSHoSArmRU