Austin’s one-man wrecking crew Sssstephen! just tossed a raw steak onto the grill. His latest single, “Day Trip,” drops March 20 via the upcoming EP Triptychs, and let us tell you that this thing hits like a bag of bricks to the chest.
Right from the jump, Sssstephen! (the man does guitar, bass, AND drums here, because apparently sleeping is for the weak) sets a trap. He lures you in with this fragile, twangy guitar line and a vocal that’s practically whispering in your ear. “Once in awhile… I think of you.” It’s intimate. It’s haunted. You feel like you’re eavesdropping on somebody’s 3 AM breakdown.
But then? The sky falls.
Channelling that classic ’90s alt-rock anarchy—think Smashing Pumpkins during their Pisces Iscariot era when they were at their most unhinged—Sssstephen! stomps on every pedal he owns. The quiet part detonates. Guitars get thick and jagged, the drums stop tiptoeing and start pounding, and his voice goes from a cracked whisper to a full-throated roar. This is the sound of losing control, and he’s letting the tape roll.
But… Just when you think the noise is gonna carry you out, JJ slides in with these icy synth lines that creep into the mix like a cold front blowing through a sweaty club. It drops the temperature but winds up the dread. That’s when Sssstephen! unloads the confession we’re all here for: “I saw your face, in my wet dream. it’s all I have since you left me. i know, i was dumb; i was doing drugs. but i think about it. once in a while.”
There’s no polish here. No overproduction. Just a guy alone in a room (with a little spectral help from JJ on the keys) putting out a panic attack about regret, lust, and bad decisions. The loud parts don’t simply crush you—they ache.
As the opening shot for Triptychs, “Day Trip” promises an EP that isn’t playing around. Three songs. Three moods. All gasoline. Play this one loud. Let the neighbours hear everything.