Smut

Smut — the Chicago band composed of vocalist Tay Roebuck, guitarist Andrew Min, bassist/synthist Bell Cenower, guitarist/synthist Sam Ruschman, and drummer Aidan O’Connor  — shares two new singles, “18 Tons” and “Y Signal,” and announces tour dates with Knifeplay and Citizen. “18 Tons” and “Y Signal” are featured as bonus tracks on the Japanese CD version of Smut’s 2022 Bayonet debut, How The Light Felt, and receive their first widespread release today.

Building on How The Light Felt’s exploration of grief, “18 Tons” uses swirling synths and crackling drum samples to score dark, bargaining feelings — “If I dance around questions, walk through walls // Start painting in blue // Just know that I’m trying” — before exploding into a cacophonous final chorus. “Y Signal” is just as cathartic, opening with the marimba-like high tones of a synth ringing out, leading into a gentle anthem for avoidant personality types. “I have a tendency to shut up // When things get tough,” Roebuck sings, sprinkling short fantasies of revenge and blame against a hopeful backdrop of sweeping synths. Together, the bonus tracks offer a thrilling continuation of Smut’s vast sonic palette, anchored by Roebuck’s ever-incisive songwriting.

Originally based in Cincinnati, OH, Smut have conquered national tours with Bully, Swirlies, Nothing, and Wavves since their founding. Where their 2020 EP Power Fantasy dips its toe into the experimental, How the Light Felt (mastered by Heba Kadry) dives head-first into 90s influences — brit-pop, shoegaze, and trip-hop — and takes Smut’s sound to exciting heights. Written following the death of Roebuck’s sister in 2017, How the Light Felt is a deeply personal record by real people — a reminder that no one is truly alone. It’s an exercise in coping, an electrifying statement of hope in the midst of resounding loss, and a love letter to the people that keep us going.