WRITTEN BY CAITLIN TRAVERS
As the year begins drawing to a close and the sun begins to set earlier and earlier, I find my music taste growing ever darker—and “HAMMER”, the new single by Toronto band cleopatrick, is filling that role perfectly. Acting as a teaser for their sophomore album, set to release in 2025, the single is the duo’s most recent hit following their critically acclaimed albums BUMMER and DOOM. Having been released on the tail of their last tours, where band members Luke Gruntz and Ian Fraser previewed tracks from their new album alongside their older tracks, this single marks a new beginning.
Alongside Philip Weinrobe (the producer behind such artists as Adrianne Lenker, Hand Habits, and Tomberlin), this single depicts the band’s expansion of their existing creative bubble, as they continue to build on their already blossoming musicality and lyricism. Regarding the single itself, Gruntz notes, “This song is about getting pummeled by the big guy. Like really just completely flattened out. it’s about the act of not only accepting your beat down, but actually welcoming it… It’s not really up to you to understand much more than that — you actually shouldn’t ask those kinds of questions: just take it!”
The song’s slower, almost ballad-like, along with the soul-wrenching instrumentals, add an incredibly intentional layer to the band’s soundscape, as they move slightly away from their previously eclectic, more upbeat vibe to something that’s slightly more mellow. It’s a single that belongs to old fans and new listeners alike—and it’s a beautiful testament to how cleopatrick has grown as a duo. Give “HAMMER” a listen!