Stalefish

Stalefish is a 6-piece band from Austin, Texas. Fresh off their first two full-length records in 2024 (Stalefish Does America, and It’s All Down Here From Hill) the band refuses to take their foot off the gas.

Stalefish is happy to announce their love letter to pop music: a six-song EP titled New Pop Experiments Vol. 1, available via Happen Twice on June 27th. The EP's quick yet deliberate recording process lends it a sense of spontaneity and cohesion, capturing the band's hunger, optimism, and adventurous spirit. Known for their ‘90s indie rock style, Stalefish looks to bring their sound into the modern era, embracing their most earwormy ideas.

Songwriter Dalton Hausman was inspired by watching Royel Otis at Austin City Limits when his girlfriend turned to him and said, “You could do this!” This vote of confidence lit a fire underneath Hausman to take a stab at writing a radio hit. The lead single “1000 Books a Day” came directly out of that challenge and kickstarted the project.

Creating New Pop Experiments Vol. 1 was transformative for the band, involving remote collaboration across different cities, digital sharing of ideas, and intense bursts of in-person creativity.

Musically, the recordings offer a ripe sonic landscape complete with strings, horns, synthesizer, and lots of electric guitar. True to the lyrical tradition of the band, the songs are about romantic love, self-love and reassurance, and perhaps most importantly, how to party.