Math-pop innovators Wot Gorilla? have dropped huge news, announcing that their upcoming album, ‘Stay Home’, will be released on February 20th, 2026, through Drongo Records and Ripcord Records. The announcement arrives alongside the immediate unveiling of the record’s incredibly honest first single, “Young Man’s Game.” Vocalist and guitarist Mat Haigh shared the profound, relatable inspiration behind the track, saying, “‘Young Man’s Game’ explores the experience of still playing in a band as an older person, and the insecurities that come with that.” Haigh also reflected on the challenges of being a front man and dealing with feedback, stating that he tries “to stay grounded in the belief that if I’m happy with what we’ve created, that’s enough.” He noted the track is one of the more manic songs on the album and is a personal highlight thanks to the introduction of saxophone playing by Jonny.
‘Stay Home’ marks a sharp, entirely self-produced evolution for Wot Gorilla?, recorded completely by the band, with mastering by Joe Gibb (digital) and Pete Maher (vinyl). The band’s unique math-rock sound is louder, leaner, and more precise than ever before, successfully incorporating post-hardcore intensity and pop sensibility with new warmth and bite. Haigh notes that the album is the sound of the band “reconnecting with why we started this band in the first place,” distilling over a decade of angular riffs, complex rhythms, and melodic urgency into their most cohesive statement yet. The creation of ‘Stay Home’ was a slow, steady, and truly DIY process, stretching over nearly three years, with the title nodding not just to the isolation of lockdown, but to the deep, inward focus required to rebuild momentum when the scene went silent.
Formed in 2009 in Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Wot Gorilla? have carved out a significant space in the UK’s math and post-hardcore scene. Veterans of massive events like Reading & Leeds, 2000trees, and ArcTanGent festivals, they have shared stages with incredible acts including Vennart, The Get Up Kids, and Rolo Tomassi, earning a strong reputation for their famously tight musicianship and highly dynamic live shows. With UK tour dates already lined up for February and March 2026, ‘Stay Home’ finds Wot Gorilla? sounding more focused, fearless, and formidable than ever before, ready to deliver their most essential work yet.