Ima Gymnist

Ima Gymnist (formerly Ima Fucking Gymnist) is a great -- if not terribly sloppy and scatter-brained -- San Fernando Valley three-piece of underage noise-punk rockers. They're pretty damn boss.

I didn't even realize that the Smell -- the notorious L.A. venue-of-our-generation (seemingly just because it's the only-venue-of-worth-in-this-area) that's received a tremendous amount of press recently, from the New Yorker to i-D -- has a record label, olFactory Records (cute, right?), but they do, and along with Mika Miko, HEALTH, and "graduates," No Age, Ima Gymnist is fostering the Smell's dynasty of spastic punk and noise that will, undoubtedly, go down in history.

The venue and circumstances aside, though, Ima Gymnist's debut 7" EP, ... So Freakin' Juicy (crammed with six tracks), is pretty rad. Tight, abrasive, gasping-for-air, and abruptly cutting it all off before it gets too late (the trio is underage, so they've had some unique experiences playing clubs). I could see these three opening for Ponytail or something -- plenty of comparisons can be drawn to them and all other short-tempered noise-rockers.

I'll have to stop by next time they play the Smell ... just a few block away for [lucky] me!

Ima Gymnast - We're Professionals