Rising from Brooklyn’s DIY scene, queer artist Ben Silby has delivered a debut album that’s already turning heads. “can’t hang”, is a sonically adventurous, emotionally potent exploration of identity, love, and the weird, wonderful mess of being alive.
The album’s title alone hints at its core message: this is music for the overstimulated, the overthinkers, the ones who feel too much. With a sound that moves fluidly between Indie Pop and Alternative, Silby infuses each track with sharp lyricism and unflinching self-awareness. It’s a sad bop collection with brains and bite.
Tracks like “blue” and “my bad” chronicle romantic missteps with wry vulnerability, while “dirt i” and “can’t hang” go deeper—into questions of self-worth, queer performance, and existential fatigue. Silby’s voice carries each emotion with nuance, never shying away from complexity or contradiction.
Instrumentally, the album surprises at every turn. Collaborator Miles Francis brings analog warmth and quirky textures, letting Silby’s vocal experimentation shine. Theremin waves, crunchy beats, and whispered diary entries coexist in a way that feels chaotic yet cohesive.
If this is Silby’s first statement as a recording artist, it’s a powerful one. “can’t hang” is the kind of album that invites you in, sits you down, and doesn’t let you leave unchanged. And that’s exactly the kind of voice indie music needs right now.
