Exhilarating, mysterious, cult. Three words might hint at GUNMOLL’s essence, but they don’t come close to capturing the full picture. Founded by singer/guitarist Jolien Grünberg and guitarist/producer Bram Bol, the band delivers an energetic fusion of (surf) rock, Eastern influences, and irresistible pop hooks. Today, alongside the release of the single ‘Joan’, GUNMOLL announced their debut album ‘Kill Your Darlings’, arriving on February 6, 2026.

The album presents 12 cinematic scenes from the life of a ‘gunmoll’, a female gangster’s accomplice who hides behind multiple masks. Rather than a chronological narrative, it’s a mosaic of moments that together reveal the complexity of her world. The gunmoll struggles with her environment, her role within a mafia family, and perhaps a desire the escape it all in search of authenticity and autonomy. The band intentionally keeps it ambiguous whether these scenes are real events or symbolic battles playing out in her mind. “The songs offer glimpses into her life, they’re fragments. Listeners receive pieces, but it’s up to them to complete the picture”explains Jolien. Is the gunmoll a layered alter ego? Maybe. Jolien draws form her own experiences but also channels her inner demons, creating a darkly reflective mirror for the audience.

GUNMOLL’s inspiration began when Jolien discovered an old photo album from her Romanian side of the family. The portraits radiated a cinematic, dangerous, ‘mobster’ vide that reframed her childhood memories and sparked the idea to write songs from the gunmoll’s perspective. “I felt a story needed to be told through me” says Jolien. The album’s dark, cinemative atmosphere is influenced by the films of Scorsese, Tarantino, and Lynch, as well as the music of Morricone and Dick Dale. Black humour and cult sensibilities are woven throughout.

To bring this vision to life, Jolien teamed up with Bram Bol, with whom she had already formed a bond on a previous project (Miss Pussy). What began as playful writing sessions soon evolved into their unique musical language. They explored Balkan and other Eastern musical influences, integrating Jolien’s Romanian heritage. “Those sessions were hilarious. We had so much fun developing these stories and translating them into music. We often left the studio completely stoked” Bram recalls. Surf rock also makes an appearance, but with the intensity and wildness of a storm-surf session, not laid-back Malibu vibes. With Koen van Bemmelen (bass) and Bas Janssen (drums, who joined in mid-2024) rounding out the lineup, GUNMOLL is complete.

The first single of the album, ‘Joan’, reveals a softer, wistful side of the gunmoll. Opening with a delicate, catchy whistle echoing lost childhood memories, it builds into an epic, soaring chorus calling out her daughter’s name. The track channels the spirit of Ennio Marricone: melancholic, dramatic, yet hopeful. It’s a declaration of love, strength, and independence. Her final legacy for her daughter when she is no longer here.