Portland’s genre-bending trio raises the chaos to 11 on their latest single, proving they’re still rewriting the rulebook. Koalra doesn’t just make music—they weaponize it. With their new single “In a Weird Way,” the Portland-via-Chicago trio slams together their signature fuzz-drenched guitars, krautrock rhythms, and post-punk brooding into a track that’s catharsis and controlled demolition. Dropped on March 1st, 2025, this cut from their upcoming album Disasterclass is a snarling beast that cements Koalra’s rep as indie rock’s most restless alchemists.
Now, if you’ve been following Koalra since their self-titled debut back in ’19, you know these guys don’t like to sit still. That first album was pure ’90s alt-rock chaos, but they’ve been all over the map since then. Remember the angsty vibes on Surprise Lights? Or how about when they got all political on our asses with Love Songs To Remind Us That We Can’t Stand Each Other? Yeah, these dudes keep us guessing. “In a Weird Way” feels like the next logical step in their bonkers evolution. It’s got this dark, spacey thing going on that they’ve been hinting at. The whole track is like a tightrope walk between order and chaos. You’ve got these nasty guitar licks battling it out with a rhythm section that’s tighter than your grandma’s grip on her purse strings. It’s kinda like if Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth decided to have a jam session in a pitch-black basement with only a strobe light for company. Trippy, right?
The instrumental alone tells a story of disillusionment and defiance. It’s music for late-night drives through rain-slicked streets, for moments when the world feels both too heavy and weirdly electrifying. Indie Central Music wasn’t wrong when they praised Koalra’s “savagely fierce energy”—this track doesn’t just buzz; it bites.
What’s most impressive is how Koalra refuses to coast on nostalgia. While their 90s influences bleed through, “In a Weird Way” feels urgent, modern, and wholly theirs. It’s like they’re giving the finger to anyone who thought rock was getting soft. If Disasterclass is their darkest chapter yet, this single is its blistering opening line—a promise that Koalra’s still got plenty of sparks left to ignite. Let the fuzz swallow you whole, and thank whatever gods you pray to that rock bands this fearless still exist.