Toronto band cootie catcher shared their cascading new song “Puzzle Pop” alongside an animated video by Corrinne James, marking the third single from their forthcoming album ‘Something We All Got.’ Singer and guitarist Nolan Jakupovski explained that “it’s a song about how I should ask more from people but I don’t. A non-confrontational anthem. Always making incorrect assumptions from lack of communication.” The self-sampling track follows previous singles “Straight Drop” and “Gingham Dress,” which earned praise from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Alternative Press, and Paste. The album landed on 2026 most-anticipated lists from Stereogum, NME, and Exclaim, hypercharging the open-hearted tenderness of twee pop with spiraling synths and giddy electronics. The band’s three songwriters (Chavez, Fowl, and Jakupovski) all bring distinctive voices while overlapping in their writing on shared concerns like navigating romantic and platonic relationships, their city’s social scenes, and struggles in both the microcosmic experience of playing in a band and the zoomed-out challenges of living through late-stage capitalism.
‘Something We All Got’ marks cootie catcher’s first flirtation with studio recording after releasing music made primarily in basements, though the edges remain sharp with some parts assembled from lo-fi methods and personally-sourced samples seeping into the production. The 14-track album features explosive and upbeat arrangements with euphoric guitars, bubbly synth lines, speedy drums both played and programmed, and all other manner of sound constantly colliding. The band rolls fearlessly direct through every confusion and excitement, creating a palpable tension between exhilarating sonics and raw, often uneasy sentiments that becomes integral to what makes them unique.
Tracklist:
1. Loiter For The Love of It
2. Lyfestyle
3. Straight Drop
4. From Here to Halifax
5. No Biggie
6. Rhymes With Rest
7. Quarter Note Rock
8. Take Me For Granted
9. Wrong Choice
10. Gingham Dress
11. Puzzle Pop
12. Stick Figure
13. Going Places
14. Pirouette