stepbrothers drop new single “Bones + Gristle”

stepbrothers is an anarchic duo made up of Sam Orman and Armando Carlo IV, who together have been making an impression in London’s alternative rock scene. Two non-biological brothers bound by tragedy, sarcasm and the shared belief that sincerity and noise can happily exist side by side, their music comes wrapped in distortion and instilled with emotional candour, offering a DIY sound built from the bones of lo-fi indie and the gleeful irreverence of the city’s modern underground.

The myth goes something like this; Sam, the son of Scarlett Pumpernickel, a covert MI5 agent and Armando, the offspring of the dashing Gastard Ransom, an Illinois farmhand-turned-secret operative, met under the strangest of circumstances. Their parents, partners in espionage, lovers in life, perished in a bizarre wolverine attack, their interlocked hands the only trace of their final embrace. Left to pick up the pieces, the two grief-stricken sons realised that, despite their differences, they shared a spark and that spark, naturally, became a band.

stepbrothers is the sound of that inheritance, the frenetic, funny and profoundly human musical expression that first took shape in 2024 with “SHE TOLD ME.” Since then, they’ve been crafting an ever-shifting catalogue of fuzzed-out indie rock via singles like “LATE TO THE PARTY” and “PINOT NOIR” confirming their status as one of London’s most exciting new acts. Winning over fans from the stage, their live shows are thrown into communal exorcisms of joy and chaos, lighting up venues such as The Old Blue Last, The Shacklewell Arms or The Finsbury.

Now, with their latest release, they bring us their brand new single titled “Bones + Gristle,” the first taste of their upcoming debut album In Love With Everyone. Recorded in their home studio and featuring lead guitar from Rodrigo Espiranza, the track distills the tension between bleakness and euphoria, cynicism and sincerity to craft a song about exploitation and inequality, but you could just as easily dance to it.

Driven by punching drums, crunchy guitars and eerily buoyant melodic writing, “Bones + Gristle” paints a dystopian world where the rich live sky-high above the ruins while the poor are literally burned for fuel. Wrapped up in an enthralling arrangement that bends between anthemic alternative rock, hazy psychedelic vibes and a synth-tinged prog rock style finale, the track delivers an epic musical voyage from start to finish.

It’s dark, funny and instantly memorable throughout, build on the band’s knack for threading poignant social commentary through gripping musical experiences. With their first full-length record on the horizon, stepbrothers are sure to win over more and more fans across the UK and beyond and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store next.

Commenting on the context for the single, Sam shares, “The initial idea came from my cycle home from work. I pass this huge field with trees and grass that’s surrounded by a bunch of tall buildings and cranes. It got me thinking about a dystopian landscape where there’s just tall buildings everywhere, and swamps of pollution start to develop in the earth, so everyone starts to live as high up as they can – the rich be the highest out of everyone.”

“Bones + Gristle is the introduction to our first cohesive release that really tells people who we are and what we’re about. We are both very proud of everything we’ve released so far, but I think it’s all been a bit of a warm-up. With this single, it really feels like the starting pistol is going off this time,” Armando adds.

Listen to Bones + Gristle below

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