brakence marroW singles review

The mysterious godfather of the early-2020s hyperpop scene, brakence, has returned to the genre after a four-year hiatus. On September 21, 2026, brakence posted a teaser for the first track of his new album marroW. Fans welcomed it with more than 7,000 comments on the post. Here are my thoughts on the three tracks released so far, ahead of my full album review on October 23.

“ready or noT,” the first released single, fills the void left by the past few years without new brakence music, showcasing his incredible vocal ability and musicianship. The song is all over the place, super distorted and rambunctious, before reaching a decrescendo and then immediately going right back to the chaos. The accompanying music video matches the chaotic sound with an equally unsettling visual produced and directed by Quadeca.

On September 30, 2026, brakence returned to Instagram to tell his fans that two more tracks would arrive October 2.

The first of the two new singles released together is “Death rolL,” a track that recalls the sound of brakence’s previous album, Hypochondriac. He raps confidently over glitchy drums before the beat shifts to give his singing more room. The song offers little evolution until its final forty seconds, when distorted vocals cut through a heavy instrumental.

“Crystallized,” the last of the three singles, pairs brakence’s signature clean guitar tone with his high falsetto. A fuller guitar sound then enters as he shifts to a groovier melody. Once again, this feels more like a sign of life than a reinvention of his craft.

I’m excited for the release of marroW, but after four years away, I hope brakence pushes his sound further. Definitely check back October 23 for the full album review.