On Friday, May 1st, Weird Nightmare will release Hoopla, the engaging and melodic second LP from former METZ frontman Alex Edkins.
Every band worth its salt has a member who worked in a record store. In METZ, the fearless noise rock trio who released five full-length albums on Sub Pop between 2012 and 2024, it was singer and guitarist Alex Edkins. Slinging indie rock and hardcore records in his hometown record store while attending university, Edkins became an ardent student of rock ‘n’ roll; from the psychedelic 1960s to the DIY 1990s and beyond. The new Weird Nightmare album Hoopla, mixes and matches these wide-ranging influences in fun, exhilarating combinations, showcasing his sophisticated musical mind. Bursting to life with hooks and earworms.
Co-produced by Edkins and Spoon’s Jim Eno at Seth Manchester’s Machines With Magnets in Providence, RI. Edkins expands Weird Nightmare’s dimensions to new heights, gilding the direct emotions of his straightforward songwriting with musical textures such as piano, bells, and castanets, giving these well-wrought tunes a shiny luster.
Following the previously released single “Forever Elsewhere,” which Stereogum called “… an undeniably infectious power-pop anthem”, Weird Nightmare has shared an official video for their new song, “Might See You There,” which was directed by CC Mulligan.
Edkins shares about the track: “‘Might See You There’ is about going back to visit my hometown and being flooded with teenage nostalgia. Small-town boredom and isolation almost feel like a gift in today’s highly connected world. I feel fortunate for that time spent idly, down in the basement, learning the entire Rancid “Let’s Go” album on guitar with my friends. I find it easy to romanticise that time in my life, even though I was, without question, a disgruntled kid who badly wanted to escape my surroundings and see the world.
“I was listening to a lot of the Irish bands The Undertones and Protex while writing this one, and I think there is a fair bit of their influence. Just the simplicity and big bar chords mostly. Seth Manchester and I were very into the idea of adding piano and bells to the outro, akin to the Phil Spector-produced “End of the Century” album by The Ramones. The great Julianna Riolino sings with me on the choruses, too!”
Weird Nightmare is also announcing North American, UK and European headline dates beginning on April 14th in San Diego, with festival appearances at the Soundscape NW Festival in Portland, on April 28th with labelmates Bully, and a 5-date Canadian run in June with Wintersleep. Additional live dates will be announced soon.
Fri. Apr. 24 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar Sat. Apr. 25 - Los Angeles, CA - Gold Diggers ^ Sun. Apr. 26 - Oakland, CA - Thee Stork Club ^ Tue. Apr. 28 - Portland, OR - Soundscape NW Festival * Wed. Apr. 29 - Seattle, WA - Baba Yaga Fri. May 01 - Toronto, ON - Sonic Boom in-store Sun. May 03 - Brantford, ON - zBTFD in-store Tue. May 12 - Kingston, ON - Broom Factory Wed. May 13 - Montreal, PQ - Bar le Ritz Sat. May 16 - Halifax, NS - Marquee Ballroom # Wed. Jun. 17 - London, ON - London Music Hall # Thu. Jun. 18 - Hamilton, ON - Bridgeworks # Fri. Jun. 19 - Toronto, ON - Masonic Temple # Sat. Jun. 20 - Ottawa, ON - The Bronson # Wed. Jun. 24 - Richmond, VA - Richmond Music Hall Thu. Jun. 25 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd Fri. Jun. 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Ortlieb’s Sat. Jun. 27 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool Sun. Jun. 28 - Medford, MA - Deep Cuts Fri. Aug. 28 - Malaga, ES - Canela Party Festival Wed. Sep. 2 - Glasgow, UK - Hug & Pint Thu. Sep. 3 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds Sat. Sep. 5 - London, UK - The Lexington Sun. Sep. 6 - Rotterdam, NL - Rotown Tue. Sep. 8 - Berlin, DE - Urban Spree Wed. Sep. 9 - Koln, DE - Bumann Thu. Sep. 10 - Paris, FR - Point Ephemere Fri. Sep. 11 - Lille, FR- Aeronef Sun. Sep. 13 Asten, NL - Misty Fields Festival
* with Bully ^ with Mrs. Magician # with Wintersleep
Hoopla is now available for preorder on CD/LP/all DSPs worldwide from Sub Pop and in Canada from Dine Alone. LP preorders in the US through Sub Pop Mega Mart will receive the limited Loser Edition on Emerald Green-Blue vinyl; preorders through Mega Mart Europe will receive the Loser Edition on Transparent Orange (UK/EU). The Canadian exclusive will be available on Orange/Blue/White Solar Flare from Dine Alone. The limited Loser Editions will also be available at your local record store (All limited vinyl colors available while stock lasts!).
What people have said about Weird Nightmare: “Weird Nightmare is all about hooks and melody. Still delivered with levels in the red, but these are ultracatchy powerpop songs first and foremost, and really good ones at that.” - Brooklyn Vegan
“The debut Weird Nightmare album from METZ guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins is a hook-filled set of blown-out power-pop with distorted guitars, punchy rhythms and bright pop melodies.” - KEXP
“Alex Edkins finally lets those melodies loose, resulting in an irresistibly euphoric blast of feedback spattered garage-pop that is just what the doctor ordered to chase away any lingering post-lockdown blues.’” - The Quietus
“All chiming chords and smart harmonies, Wrecked is a boisterous ode to ’90s indie-rock and everything that followed.” - [“Wrecked”] Guitar World
US LOSER
Weird Nightmare Hoopla
Tracklisting: 1. Headful of Rain 2. Might See You There 3. Baby Don’t 4. Forever Elsewhere 5. Never in Style 6. Pay No Mind 7. If You Should Turn Away 8. Little Strange 9. Bright City Lights (ft. Julianna Riolino) 10. Where I Belong
Today, Wednesday, January 28th, Nation of Language is sharing a new rework of Dance Called Memory’s lead single “Inept Apollo” by UK artist Tom Sharkett of the band W.H. Lung. This rework takes the song’s new wave origins, ups the BPM and the funk, and turns it into an even more danceable sibling.
Nation of Language’s Ian Devaney has this to say on the track, “We’re big fans of WH Lung, as well as Tom’s excellent recent LCD Soundsystem rework, so we were super excited when he reached out saying he wanted to take a crack at a new mix of ‘Inept Apollo.’ Our initial enthusiasm only grew when we received the end product a couple months later and were able to test it out in a club environment a few times. Can confidently report it sounds fantastic in a loud and crowded room. Here’s hoping it sees its way to a few dance floors in 2026.”
Sharkett offers this on the remix, “I had an affinity with Nation of Language as soon as I heard their music. It felt like it came from the same place as the music I was making myself and with W. H. Lung, and the more of their music I heard, the more I felt it. It was hard initially to find a way in with remixing “Inept Apollo,” as I loved the original so much. I knew I wanted to nod to the connection between NYC and Manchester started by the artists and DJs I feel we both love, without even having to name check them. It had to be wonky, and it had to be loose and lively. Hope you enjoy!”
Nation of Language has also announced new 2026 international headlining, festival, and support dates. Their current tour schedule spans Sunday, February 15th in Monterrey, MX at Foro Tims through Thursday, August 27 - Saturday, August 29 for the Canela Party weekender in Málaga, ES.
Highlights for this announcement include headlining shows in Guadalajara (Feb. 15th), Mexico City (Feb. 17th), and Tokyo, Japan (Mar. 31st); European Summer festival appearances at Primavera Sound Porto (Jun. 11th), AboutPop in Stuttgart, DE (Jun. 12th), Best Kept Secret Festival in the Netherlands (Jun. 13th), B-Sides Festival in Lucerne, CH (Jun. 18th), Release Athens x SNF Nostos Festival in Greece (Jun. 21st), La Prima Estate Festival in Camaiore, IT (Jun. 27th); And a direct support slot opening for Death Cab for Cutie in the US Midwest and Southwestern US (July 23rd-August 4th). Additional live dates to be announced soon. For information on tour dates, please visit https://www.nationoflanguage.com.
2026 Tour Dates Sun. Feb. 15 - Monterrey, MX - Foro Tims Tue. Feb. 17 - Guadalajara, MX - C3 Rooftop Thu. Feb. 19 - Mexico City, MX - Foro Indie Rocks! - Sala Tue. Mar. 31 - Tokyo, JP - Space Odd Thu. Jun. 11 - Porto, PT - Primavera Sound Porto Parque Da Cidade Fri. Jun. 12 - Stuttgart, DE - AboutPop Festival Sat. Jun. 13 - Hilvarenbeek, NL - Best Kept Secret Festival Thu. Jun. 18 - Lucerne, CH - B-Sides Festival Sun. Jun. 21 - Athens, GR - Release Athens x SNF Nostos Festival Sat. Jun. 27 - Camaiore, IT - La Prima Estate Festival Fri. Jul. 24 - St. Louis, MO - Stifel Theatre # Sat. Jul. 25 - Bentonville, AR - The Momentary # Sun. Jul. 26 - Council Bluffs, IA - Harrah’s Stir Cove # Wed. Jul. 29 - Sandy, UT - Sandy Amphitheater # Fri. Jul. 31 - Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theatre # Sun. Aug. 02 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre # Mon. Aug. 03 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre # Tue. Aug. 04 - San Diego, CA - Gallagher Square at Petco Park # Thu. Aug. 27 - Sat. Aug. 29 - Málaga, ES - Canela Party
# supporting Death Cab for Cutie
Dance Called Memory is out now worldwide from Sub Pop. The 10-track album features the Billboard Top 30 AAA radio singles “Inept Apollo” and “I’m Not Ready For The Change,” and was recorded, produced, and mixed by returning producer and collaborator Nick Millhiser in New York City and mastered by Heba Kadry in Brooklyn. Dance Called Memory also hit the Top 5 on the NACC 200 College Radio Chart.
Dance Called Memory also saw Nation of Language receive “Best Albums and Singles of 2025” coverage from the likes of Antics Magazine (+ Artist of the Year print cover), KCRW (Albums & Songs List, “Inept Apollo”), Rough Trade Records, Under the Radar, Magnet, PopMatters, and Treble Zine (Songs of the Year, “In Another Life”).
Nation of Language’s 51-date, 2025 international headlining tour to support Dance Called Memory was the band’s most successful touring run to date. The tour sold over 40k tickets with sold-out shows in New York, DC, Chicago, Vancouver (BC), Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Austin, San Francisco, Kansas City, Dublin, Munich, Lisbon, Paris, and London.
What People Are Saying About Nation of Language’s Dance Called Memory: On Dance Called Memory, you won’t find a more gorgeous format of synth-heavy post-punk in any city between the Atlantic and Pacific O’s. The Brooklyn trio portion out plenty of dance floor candy, but also take a turn for the mellow on tracks like “Can You Reach Me?” and “Nights of Weight.” Thankfully, frontman Ian Richard Devaney continues to write songs for the end credits of John Hughes movies that were never made; singing “Darling, don’t forget my love” at the end of “Inept Apollo,” he extends his vocal range for maximum capital-Y Yearning. Epically sincere; sincerely epic.” [“Best Albums of 2025”] Antics Magazine
“Their fourth album, Dance Called Memory, though, is the one where the songs make an undeniable case for themselves. Shearing off some distracting tendencies and adding subtle new twists like shoegaze-inspired guitar, Nation of Language refine their sound and play to their strengths, never more so than on the resplendently uplifting “Inept Apollo” [“The 80 Best Albums of 2025”] PopMatters
“The real deal…” ★★★★ MOJO
“The band’s fourth LP and Sub Pop debut is danceable, eccentric, and immaculate at once…” ★★★★ All Music
“For Dance Called Memory, the trio — Devaney, his wife and right-hand synth wizard Aidan Noell, and bassist Alex MacKay — once more teamed with LCD Soundsystem/Holy Ghost! member Nick Millhiser as producer. Together, the crew pushed the edges of NOL’s sound, creating something expansive enough to capture the weight of grief and loss that coursed through these new songs.” Stereogum
“Dance Called Memory, continues its study of synth-pop from the late 1970s and early ’80s. The new record adds more guitars to the mix, tempering the machine-made with a human touch.” New York Times
“It’s a fuzzy electronic project that’s both introspective and danceable, with flanged New Order–styled guitar parts sprinkled in to give their sound a refreshed feel.” FLOOD
“Ian Devaney’s Vulnerability Pays Off On Nation of Language’s Dance Called Memory.” 8.0/10, PASTE
“If there were a Nation of Language album that lifts the band onto the next rung of the pop culture ladder, beyond indie notoriety, it deserves to be this one.” “Best Albums of September,” Consequence
“entwined with beauty as much as melancholy.” Our Culture
★★★★ Live4ever
“an assured evolution” ★★★★ ½ Indie is Not a Genre
“A resounding triumph” When The Horn Blows
“another stellar record from Nation of Language” ★★★★ Stereoboard
“this Brooklyn outfit’s gleaming spirit continues to be a northern star” Electronic Sound
“a band that has the songs (and the heart) to cross the pop threshold if they choose.” The Line of Best Fit
Netflix is a Joke Presents: Flight of the Conchords’ first Los Angeles appearance in over 10 years at The Greek Theatre on May 9th, performing at the 2026 edition of the Netflix Is A Joke Festival. The Conchords’ will perform fan favorites, and classic banter. This will also be the duo’s only US performance for 2026.
Bret McKenzie says, “Can’t wait to get the entire two-man band back together for this special Los Angeles show! Looking forward to singing some of our old songs again and dusting off some classic banter. This has the potential to be an awesomely fun night! (just need to relearn our own songs).”
Artist and fan presales begin Wednesday, January 21, and are on sale to the general public Friday, January 23 at 10 am PT. Buy tickets here.
New Zealanders Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement debuted on HBO in 2005 in an edition of the comedy series “One-Night Stand,” returning to the network in 2007 for the debut season of their acclaimed, Emmy-nominated series “Flight of the Conchords,” which followed fictionalized versions of their lives in New York City.
The duo also signed a worldwide deal with Sub Pop Records for their recorded music, going on to release the Grammy-winning EP, The Distant Future in 2007, followed by two full-lengths and a live album - their self-titled debut in 2008, I Told You I Was Freaky in 2009, and Live In London in 2019. They also headlined in the US and the UK multiple times, including their wildly successful “Flight of the Conchords Sing Flight of the Conchords Tour” in 2016.
The Conchords’ have also enjoyed individual success. Clement’s film and TV credits include the Rio movies, Men in Black 3, What We Do in the Shadows, and his role in FX’s Legion. More recently, he’s been seen in The Minecraft Movie, Megan 2.0, and as “Dr. Garvin” in the recent Avatar films (The Way of Water in 2022; and Fire and Ash in 2025).
McKenzie was the songwriter for The Muppets, which won him an Academy Award® for Best Original Song for “Man or Muppet,” and “Muppets Most Wanted.” He’s also written songs for TV and film, including The Simpsons and The Minecraft Movie. Bret also recently released two solo albums for Sub Pop - Songs Without Jokes in 2022 and Freak Out City in 2024, and has been touring live in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
What People Have Said About Flight of the Conchords’ Live Show:
“…Flight of the Conchords has been distinguished by its subtlety: songs, jokes and stage banter so understated, you could be forgiven for not realizing when the two men performing them are joking.” New York Times
“…a carefully constructed, carefully executed live comedy of a rare breed–simultaneously large-scale and human-level.” BROOKLYN VEGAN
“Their impressions are razor-sharp, their vocals show huge range (McKenzie’s especially), and their comic timing is better than ever (Clement’s in particular).” - The Week
“You’d be hard-pressed to find any current musical-comedy act that didn’t pick up a little of the Conchords DNA.” PLAYBOY
Ya Tseen’s (pronounced Yacht Seen) new album, Stand On My Shoulders, is digitally available worldwide today from Sub Pop. Led by multi-disciplinary artist Nicholas Galanin, Stand On My Shoulders is an incandescent exploration of existence, a celebration of love and connection to Land.
Stand On MyShoulders features guest performances from Portugal. The Man, Meshell Ndegeocello, dreamcastmoe, Anel Figueroa, *Jahon Mikal, Pink Siifu, Sidibe, Hanna Ben, and Ashley Young. The album builds on the group’s 2020 Sub Pop debut, Indian Yard, with revolutionary love as the foundation for collective liberation, centering connection, longing, and resistance. The cover art for Stand On My Shoulders is one of Galanin’s monoprints, referencing a photo of his father, who passed away in 2021. His father’s Tlingit regalia remains, but the wearer isn’t visible, highlighting the space to be filled by future generations. With Stand On My Shoulders, Ya Tseen uplifts the gifts given to us by our ancestors and the collective responsibilities we have to future generations. Click here to listen to the entire album.
To celebrate the release of their new album, Ya Tseen will perform live on KEXP today at 11:00 AM PST, with an interview to follow with DJ Cheryl Waters. They will then play a celebratory album release show at Seattle’s Clock Out Lounge later that night. Tickets are available here. They are also confirmed perform on January 24th at The Crystal Saloon in Juneau, Alaska, with more dates to be announced in the coming weeks.
Galanin is a musician and visual artist who has been creating music, customary Tlingit carving, and interdisciplinary art for over two decades. His sculpture and video work have been shown at the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, Whitney Biennial, Sydney Biennial, Desert X, Art Week Miami Beach, and by the New York Public Art Fund. Galanin’s visual and sonic work are interconnected streams of creative flow, integral to the watershed of his work.
Ya Tseen Stand On My Shoulders
1. Ircenrraat (feat. Ashley Young)
2. Twilight (feat. Pink Siifu, Sidibe)
3. Perfect Combo (feat. dreamcastmoe)
4. Taste On My Lips (feat. Portugal. The Man, Meshell Ndegeocello, Sidibe)
On Friday, March 6th, waterbaby will release her debut full-length on CD/LP/DSP’s from Sub Pop. The 8-track long player features the pre-release singles “Amiss” and “Beck n Call” along with highlights “Sink,” “Clay,” “Srs Ice,” and today’s new offering, an official video for the title track, “Memory Be a Blade,” which was directed by Felix Scheynius.
On Memory Be a Blade, the Stockholm, Sweden-born singer-songwriter’s second release on Sub Pop, the nostalgia runs deep. Her follow-up to 2023 EP Foam is darker, richer, and more personal than ever. She wanted her lyrics to dig deeper and evolve her writing forward, something she accomplishes stunningly across the eight-track project.
To spark inspiration for her new lyrics, waterbaby reflected on a past break-up. She had moved on and was seeing someone new while recording the album. But when the newer relationship ended, she witnessed how much the album took on a new meaning to reflect the heartbreak she hadn’t anticipated experiencing.
“Many of the songs came to mean very different things than what I had thought when writing them in the first place,” waterbaby admits.
In the two years following Foam, waterbaby and her primary collaborator, Marcus White (YG, Anna of the North), took their time to get the album right. They wrote and recorded around Stockholm, the south of Sweden, and even Los Angeles. As it took shape, however, waterbaby began to notice how much she would stiffen up behind the microphone. She admits she gets quite shy in the studio, opting for the familiarity of people like White to stay by her side. But in order to take her words and sound deeper, White encouraged her to improvise what she sang instead of writing it out ahead of time.
Her improvisations were paired with compositions that reflected waterbaby’s classical background. White played piano alongside his lush and ethereal arrangements of string and horn parts. Musicians like violinist Oliva Lundberg, cellists Filip Lundberg and Kristina Winiarski, saxophonist Sebastian Mattebo, trombonist Hannes Falk Junestav, and flutist Pelle Westlin round out the dreamy ensemble (read more at Sub Pop).
waterbaby has confirmed new UK & EU headline dates for 2026 in support of Memory Be a Blade. These shows will begin on March 18th in Gothenburg, Sweden, with additional shows in Stockholm, London, Paris, and Berlin. See below for a complete list of shows.
Thu, Mar. 19 Gothenburg, SE - Nefertiti Fri, Mar. 20 Lund, SE - Mejerlet Sat, Mar. 21 Linköping, SE - Babettes Sun, Apr. 12 Stockholm, SE - Södra Teatern Wed, Apr. 15 London, UK - The Lower Third Thu, Apr. 16 Paris, FR - Popup! Fri, Apr. 17 Rotterdam, NL - MOMO Sun, Apr. 19 Berlin, DE - Frannz
Memory Be a Blade is now available to preorder on CD/LP/all DSPs from Sub Pop. LPs purchased from megamart.subpop.com, MegaMart Europe in the UK + EU, and your local record store will receive the limited Loser Edition on Cosmic Berry (NA) and Pearl / Arctic (UK/EU) vinyl while supplies last.
waterbaby Memory Be a Blade
Track Listing: 1. Sink 2. Memory Be a Blade 3. Clay 4. Beck n Call 5. Minnie 6. Minnie Too 7. Amiss 8. Srs Ice