Sprints: “We’re going to fight the system to the bitter end.”

Few bands are capable of trans-Atlantic reach just as they are starting out. But things are moving fast for Sprints, who consistently sell out shows, even on their American dates. They have certainly come a long way from Dublin, where the young quartet formed in 2019. Karla Chubb (vocals/guitar), Colm O’Reilly (guitar), Jack Callan (drums) and Sam McCann (bass) have opted for gritty sounds that make for explosive live shows, having been enthralled by a live performance from female post-punk combo Savages, led by the flamboyant Jehnny Beth.

After two EPs through British label Nice Swann, the quartet released Letter to Self at the start of the year on the more media-friendly City Slang, a collection of garage punk hits with ultra-elaborate riffs and motorik rhythms that the Qobuz team awarded a Qobuzissime on its release. Entirely designed for live performance, this first album is also electrifying thanks to the sheer aura of Karla Chubb, whose frontal lyrics deal with the difficulty of surviving in a capitalist world. While in Paris, the punk priestess and Jack Callan discussed their sudden success, their inspirations and their ambitions, before taking the crowd by storm at the Point Ephémère.