Alexei Shishkin Announces New LP with Video Game-Inspired Single

Having released four records in 2024 alone, musician, filmmaker, and self-described “label’s worst nightmare” Alexei Shishkin returns on June 27th with “Disco Elysium,” a fuzzy Slacker Indie single taken from September 5th’s ‘Good Times’ album on Rue Defense. Alexei Shishkin “[The] carefree word-play recalls Stephen Malkmus’ imperial run, or even Ty Segall’s more lucid, sedate moments.”  – CLASH MUSIC“Disco Elysium”  (Single / June 27th) “Shishkin’s compositions are always unassuming, but they’re never inessential.”  – STEREOGUMTaken From: ‘Good Times’ (LP / Sep 5th) “…Restless lo-fi chameleon…A fuzzy dose of clever pop songs and slacker “college rock” charm.”  – POST-TRASH “This song was inspired by the game Disco Elysium, which is maybe the greatest video game ever made. You’re a degenerate, amnesiac detective coming off a crazy bender, and you’re trying to solve a murder that happened in a small post-revolution town. The game covers everything from psychology to politics to lost love to life, death, and introspection. It’s honestly one of the most well-written, exciting things I’ve ever experienced. I play through it every two or three years, and I just so happened to be playing it when we recorded this song, so I wrote about it. Shout-out to Robert Kurvitz who wrote most of that [...]

Dante Ulanday - Celebrity News Moderator Dante Ulanday - Celebrity News Moderator
Jun 7, 2025 - 20:00
Alexei Shishkin Announces New LP with Video Game-Inspired Single

Having released four records in 2024 alone, musician, filmmaker, and self-described “label’s worst nightmare” Alexei Shishkin returns on June 27th with “Disco Elysium,” a fuzzy Slacker Indie single taken from September 5th’s ‘Good Times’ album on Rue Defense.

Alexei Shishkin

“[The] carefree word-play recalls Stephen Malkmus’ imperial run, or even Ty Segall’s more lucid, sedate moments.” 

– CLASH MUSIC“Disco Elysium” 

(Single / June 27th)

“Shishkin’s compositions are always unassuming, but they’re never inessential.” 

– STEREOGUMTaken From: ‘Good Times’ (LP / Sep 5th)

“…Restless lo-fi chameleon…A fuzzy dose of clever pop songs and slacker “college rock” charm.” 

– POST-TRASH

“This song was inspired by the game Disco Elysium, which is maybe the greatest video game ever made. You’re a degenerate, amnesiac detective coming off a crazy bender, and you’re trying to solve a murder that happened in a small post-revolution town. The game covers everything from psychology to politics to lost love to life, death, and introspection. It’s honestly one of the most well-written, exciting things I’ve ever experienced. I play through it every two or three years, and I just so happened to be playing it when we recorded this song, so I wrote about it. Shout-out to Robert Kurvitz who wrote most of that game. (Oh, and PS: in that game, there are four distinct sounds that play representing Intellect, Psyche, Physique, and Motor Skills – as an homage, we run through those samples as part of the first four bars of this song).” – Alexei Shishkin (Read More)

Inspired by the video game of the same name, “Disco Elysium” is the lead single from ‘Good Times,’ Alexei Shishkin’s eleventh full-length album. Once described as “restless lo-fi chameleon” (or as the artist himself puts it, “a label’s worst nightmare”), Shishkin is highly prolific across multiple fields, relishing the freedom of being a “hobbyist.” 2023 saw the release of his feature documentary, ‘Play By Ear’ (featuring Built to Spill, Pictoria Vark, Magic Sword and The Shivas), while he released three records in 2024 alone, each exploring distinct sounds and styles.

On September 5th’s ‘Good Times,’ he again challenged himself by venturing out to Big Nice Studio in Lincoln, Rhode Island, without a plan. In a four-day session with producer Bradford Krieger, Shishkin created the album from scratch. The result is a unique amalgamation of Americana, Jazz, and Slacker Rock, which Shishkin calls “a collage of spur-of-the-moment inspiration” and an “escape from reality.”

‘Good Times’ will be released on September 5th via the Rue Defense label, and lead single, “Disco Elysium,”  a sub-two-minute burst of fuzzy Indie Rock, will precede it on June 27th. The “Tiki Taka (2006)” and “Ode To Carl Dennis” singles will follow in July and August.

Artist Statement for ‘Good Times’ (Album / September 5th):

“Good Times is a collage of spur-of-the-moment inspiration. Process-wise, the album features surrealist techniques (automatism, collage, improvisation) both in the music and the lyrics. It was created from scratch in four days at Big Nice Studio in Lincoln, RI. For me, it was a vacation and a chance to play music with friend and producer Bradford Krieger. No road maps, no strategies, no blueprints. We started with a few loose, solo bass lines from Dave Kahn, around which Bradford and I built up the album. In a way, Good Times serves as a diary that tries to capture a lucid yet fleeting, four-day escape from reality.” – Alexei Shishkin (Read More)

Praise for Alexei Shishkin:

“One thing that helps set Shishkin apart from the rest of the pack is his guitar playing, which takes hints from both longue music and bossa nova to help create a style all his own. Tracks like “Turn Way Up” and “Where Do We Go” pair jazzy guitar noodling with Shishkin’s conversational style vocal delivery, which brings an intimacy and warmth to the entire album.…gleefully wearing its lo-fi ambitions on its sleeve while spotlighting Shishkin’s off-the-cuff style of songwriting.” – THE ALTERNATIVE

“A muddy and bizarre piece of bedroom pop that effectively merges a Sparklehorse/Grandaddy-ish chorus with verses that are closer to something by the Butthole Surfers.” – ROSY OVERDRIVE

“A man who is in the most literal sense all about the music, the creativity and the recording. “ – FOR THE RABBITS

“As inventive as it is relaxed, the whole thing buoyed by a sense of patience and curiosity as it explores whatever avenue seems appropriate.” – VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES

“Alexei crafts a jangly and lo-fi rock triumph, drawing elements from iconic bands like lo-fi Gods Pavement, living legends Built To Spill, and indie mavericks Neutral Milk Hotel.” – LAST DAY DEAF

“A blend of comforting rock familiarity with captivating original songwriting, “Rose Gold” is another strong showing from Shishkin.” – OBSCURE SOUNDALSO AVAILABLE / END OF YEAR CONSIDERATION:

Album: Avery Friedman – ‘New Thing’ (Vinyl & Cassette / April 18th / Indie):

Assets: Bandcamp / Spotify / Press Release / EPK / MP3 / WAV / Lyrics / Wikipedia / Links

Brooklyn-based artist Avery Friedman explores her trauma, resilience and queerness on ‘New Thing.’ This acclaimed debut album features members of Florist, Sister., Told Slant, and CIAO MALZ. Support: KEXP / BBC / Under the Radar / TLOBF / No Depression.

“If you’re into intense, dreamy, subtly imaginative singer-songwriter-ly pop, people like Squirrel Flower or maybe the softer moments of Big Thief, don’t miss the debut album by the Brooklyn singer Avery Friedman. Her songs are a cocktail of anxiety and uneasy beauty with chiming, ringing arrangements that really get under your skin.” – NPR MUSIC (All Songs Considered)

“New Thing is going to be one of our albums of the year.” – ANALOGUETRASH

“A work of raw singer/songwriter confessionalism, evoking the knotted melodies, homespun arrangements, and searing edges of musicians like Squirrel Flower, Babehoven, or Adrienne Lenker.“ – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

“The promise you are left with as a listener, that there is a beauty in uncertainty and becoming, that flowers that die will surely grow again.” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT

“It’s not PR spin when I tell you that’ll be a contender for a spot on my AOTY list.” 

– ON REPEAT RECORDS

“Damn, I adored this record. I loved the writing. So image-rich and vidi, each song feels like its own universe. This is to say nothing of the diversity of soundscape – truly felt like a Writers Album.” – HANIF ABDURRAQIB

“Scarily accomplished.” – KLOF MAG

“Friedman stands before audiences fearless – 5/5” – NEW NOISE MAGAZINE

“New Thing is as much about community as it is Friedman’s individual journey. The album will thrill those who yearn for the days of sad indie bands in Williamsburg clubs. While Friedman and her band might be further along on the L train, they’ve moved past the detached melancholy of that cohort and instead utilize the same musical strains to confront and move beyond the pain that holds them back.” – NO DEPRESSION

Read More