Wreck and Reference return with new album “Stay Calm” – listen to two singles now

Experimental noise-rock duo Wreck and Reference, made up of Felix Skinner and Ignat Frege, are back with their fifth studio album, “Stay Calm”, set for release on August 22nd via The Flenser. It’s their first full-length in six years, following 2019’s “Absolute Still Life”. Along with the announcement, the band has shared two new tracks—“Burning” and “The Cup”—now available to stream.

Described as a meditation on the horror of modern life, “Stay Calm” explores the tension between chaos and composure. How does one remain calm in an inherently terrifying world? For Wreck and Reference, the answer lies in confronting that dread head-on. The result is an intense, shape-shifting record that doesn’t shy away from discomfort but instead leans into it.

Emerging from a garage in California 15 years ago, Skinner and Frege quickly made a name for themselves by rejecting metal’s usual formulas. With no guitars and a palette of tortured samples and raw acoustic drums, they’ve continued to push the boundaries of heavy music. While the genre has shifted over time, their approach remains singular, urgent, and deeply existential.

A lot has happened since their last album—pandemics, political unrest, and the surge of artificial intelligence—and “Stay Calm” absorbs it all. The album resists desensitization, asking whether it’s even possible to make a meaningful mark in such a fleeting, overwhelming world. Whether or not the answer is comforting, the journey is a gripping one.

1. Healthy Instinct
2. Burning
3. The Cup
4. A Cure
5. Nill Arm
6. All That I Want
7. Dogtracking
8. The Flood
9. Be Careful