CHICAGO-BASED INDIE OUTFIT SIDE HUG ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM NEW LANGUAGE

CHICAGO-BASED INDIE OUTFIT SIDE HUG ANNOUNCES FIRST FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, NEW LANGUAGE

OUT OCTOBER 31 VIA EASY DOES IT RECORDS

LISTEN TO LEAD SINGLE “THESE DAYS”

PERFORMING AUG 9 AT CUBBY BEAR AND AUGUST 15 AT REGGIE’S MUSIC JOINT IN CHICAGO

Photo Credit: Joanna Linda Uruchima

New York, NY (July 23, 2025) – Chicago-based indie outfit Side Hug announces New Language, their first full-length album, due out October 31 on Easy Does It Records. A bold reinvention of the band’s sound and spirit, the 10-track project is anchored in change, embracing it, surviving it, and emerging with clarity. Lead single “These Days” is out now, setting the stage for a darker, more layered Side Hug than ever before.

“These Days” is both a self-love mantra and a social reckoning, landing somewhere between catharsis and confrontation. “No one’s going to love you / Like you love yourself,” Landor sings over chiming guitars and insistent drums. “No one’s going to find you / When you’re angry.” [Listen].

New Language marks a sonic evolution for the band, moving beyond the nostalgic indie-folk of their earlier releases into the atmospheric textures of post-punk, shoegaze, and art rock. Produced and mixed by Erik Rasmussen at Chicago’s Palisade Studios, the album is as raw as it is refined, fusing twinkling guitars, serrated basslines, and synth flourishes with emotionally resonant songwriting.

“The album really focuses on this idea of change: accepting it, learning from it, and letting things go,” says vocalist Lyd Landor. “Things kind of suck right now, but they will get better. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

Following a string of pandemic-era transformations from relationship upheavals to lineup shifts and newfound sobriety, Side Hug’s New Language mirrors personal growth with musical reinvention, including nods to Joy Division, The Cure, and their Chicago peers like Deeper and Pool Holograph. The band crafts a new identity that’s moody, melodic, and defiantly hopeful.

Tour Dates:

• 08/09 – Chicago, IL @ Cubby Bear
• 08/15 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Music Joint

New Language Track List:

1. It's Alright
2. Temporary
3. Telepathic
4. Biweekly
5. Strangers
6. Another Vacation
7. These Days
8. Everyone Else
9. Fernet-Branca
10. Currents

ABOUT EASY DOES IT RECORDS: Founded in 2023, Easy Does It Records is an independent label with roots in both Chicago and Nashville. Driven by a deep love for compelling music, the label is dedicated to artist development and fostering a supportive creative community. Easy Does It has released projects from a diverse and dynamic roster, including Brother Bird, Burr Oak, Indigo, Josh Gilligan, Ok Cowgirl, and Tanner Dane. With a focus on authenticity and artistic vision, the label continues to champion emerging talent and unique voices. Learn more at www.easydoesitrecords.com.