Fueled by surrealism and the specter of nuclear warfare, Stephen Wrabel finds gentle within the darkest locations – an thought he explores on WRABEL’s forthcoming third album ‘Up Above,’ a sobering, strikingly human file that pairs emotional readability with cinematic soundscapes.
Stream: “up above” – Wrabel
“Flowers nonetheless bloom in any case.”
That quote, printed on a chunk by British artist David Shrigley, hangs on WRABEL’s lounge wall. It quietly ignored the very house the place a lot of his upcoming album Up Above took form.
“I don’t suppose it’s simply coincidence that that piece was inside eyeshot,” he says. “As cliché as it might sound or be, I consider that to be true.”
From that straightforward sentiment – hope in opposition to the chances – WRABEL spiraled outward, taking the thought to its most existential extremes.
“We received’t be right here endlessly,” he displays. “We don’t even understand how lengthy ‘endlessly’ would or might presumably be. And but, right here we’re. What are we gonna do? How a lot sweeter does one thing grow to be while you actually understand it’s fleeting?”
That form of rigidity runs all through Up Above, WRABEL’s third studio album, set for launch on February 13, 2026. It began, oddly sufficient, with a love track about nuclear warfare.
Whereas studying Nuclear Warfare: A Situation by Annie Jacobsen, a e book detailing how a world disaster might unfold, WRABEL felt an odd inspiration strike. He picked up his guitar, recorded a tough voice memo, and texted his longtime collaborator Drew Pearson: “Hey, do you wanna write a track about nuclear warfare?”
The end result turned “Up Above,” a sweeping, slow-building monitor that will finally identify – and form – the complete file. Initially titled “Meteor Bathe,” the track reframes private emotion in existential phrases. WRABEL describes it as “lovely chaos,” a chunk that “zoomed out from the non-public to the existential, dissolving and reforming because it goes.” It redefined the emotional stakes of every little thing he’d been engaged on.
And with that, Up Above started to take kind.
Co-produced by WRABEL and Austin Ward, with further manufacturing and mixing by Damian Taylor (Björk, Frou Frou, Arcade Fireplace), the album marks WRABEL’s first time totally within the producer’s chair. It’s additionally a notable shift in his storytelling method. Whereas his 2023 album Primarily based on a True Story leaned on autobiographical narratives, Up Above is extra summary, dreamlike, and surreal; constructed on fragmented imagery and philosophical questioning.
“If you happen to knew the world was ending tomorrow,” WRABEL asks, “how far more would the particular person you like matter at this time?”
That existential curiosity performs out throughout songs just like the luminous “future” and the cinematic title monitor. There’s a looking high quality to the music; a necessity to seek out which means, hope, and even simply readability within the face of overwhelming uncertainty.
Visually, the album leans much more into surrealism. Directed and photographed by Dana Trippe (Janelle Monáe, Weyes Blood), the imagery options post-apocalyptic dreamscapes: mushroom clouds, decaying landscapes, eerie stillness. WRABEL, carefully concerned within the visible path for the primary time, discovered inspiration within the works of René Magritte and the chilling silence that follows imagined devastation.
But for all of the looming dread, Up Above reaches towards the sunshine. Its core message is just not despair however defiance; insisting that love, magnificence, and which means can nonetheless exist, even (or particularly) within the shadow of an ending.
With a profession spanning over a decade, WRABEL has quietly grow to be one in every of pop’s most emotionally incisive voices – not simply via his personal music, however behind the scenes as a sought-after songwriter. His writing credit embrace collaborations with main artists like Kesha, Teddy Swims, Celeste, Ellie Goulding, Madi Diaz, and extra. His 2017 breakout single “The Village” turned a defining LGBTQ+ anthem, celebrated for its uncooked empathy and enduring resonance. That very same emotional honesty continues to drive his work at this time, solely now, the lens has widened from the deeply private to the existential.
Up Above affords listeners an fascinating perspective of selecting surprise and which means within the face of chaos.
“I attempted to seek out some kind of peace in that, and a deep appreciation for what we’re, and what we will be,” WRABEL says.
Atwood Journal linked with the singer/songwriter about leaning into surrealism, confronting the fragility of life, and constructing a sonic world that balances dread and hope.
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A CONVERSATION WITH WRABEL
Atwood Journal: That is your first time co-producing an album. What made you wish to soar into that aspect of issues, and what was that like?
WRABEL: It’s certainly! I feel it began within the Zoom days of the early pandemic. I needed to both be taught to adapt and do easy sufficient issues like file my very own tough vocal for a demo, and so on. That kind of sparked the concept perhaps I might sit down and construct one thing of my very own.
I’ve been so fortunate to have labored with so many unimaginable producers over time, and I really feel like a lot of them have constructed my confidence in my very own concepts as we’ve made songs and albums collectively. I simply began experimenting and exploring, and despatched early demos to my A&R Tom Gates at Nettwerk, who actually gave me such a lift of confidence and inspired me to belief my very own inventive intestine — simply observe it the place it leads, even when simply to see the place it goes and what comes out.
As soon as issues began shaping up, I used to be fairly shocked, to be trustworthy! I’m so grateful for Austin Ward and Damian Taylor, who each actually understood the world I needed to construct and have such robust inventive guts of their very own.
You’ve stated the title monitor, “Up Above,” actually helped form the entire album. Do you bear in mind the second all of it clicked?
WRABEL: It clicked the day I began the thought. It was known as “Meteor Bathe,” however I knew it was about nuclear warfare. I additionally knew who to name – Drew Pearson, a longtime shut buddy and collaborator. I texted him the little begin of an thought (guitar/vocal) and a message like, “Hey, do you wanna write a track about nuclear warfare?!”
It was such a special occasion making that track collectively, and he actually knocked it out of the park with the drums – that was added after I left, and I used to be shocked to say the least, in the best possible means. Certainly one of my favourite elements of collaborating is this concept I’ve of a Venn diagram: we share some inspirations or pure inclinations, and on both aspect is a complete world of different. I really like when somebody does one thing I’d by no means do; one thing I’d by no means even consider. And on “Up Above,” Drew did simply that. It added such lovely chaos and actually captured what the track is all about. That track re-contextualized the physique of labor I had been creating and heightened the emotional stakes throughout.
This file feels far more existential and dreamy in comparison with your final one. Was {that a} acutely aware shift or did the songs simply form of take you there?
WRABEL: I feel the songs led me there. I’ll say that that is the closest file to a few of my largest inspirations: Aqualung, Dan Black, Mr. Hudson, Apparat, and so on. A lot of my profession has been spent with one foot within the EDM/dance/digital world via options I’ve been a part of. I feel I’ve all the time needed to precise that a part of my creativity in a much bigger means, and I feel this file did that.
It undoubtedly was an intentional resolution to veer away from literal narrative writing – one thing I’ve performed extensively in my previous work. I discovered myself, at finest, telling tales I felt had been particular and distinctive, and at worst, making an attempt to (whether or not consciously or subconsciously) recreate issues I’d performed prior to now. I actually needed to do one thing wholly new with this file. And in a completely non-ego means, I’m so assured I’ve performed that – with the huge assist of the superb creatives that labored on it alongside me.
I noticed you had been impressed by Nuclear Warfare: A Situation, which is an intense e book. What about it received your wheels turning creatively?
WRABEL: I feel the fragility of, properly, every little thing. How this world – large and small – could possibly be turned to mud oh-so-easily and oh-so-quickly. Within the coming into of some codes from a laminated piece of paper and the urgent of just a little button. Mud.
That basically re-contextualized an album about love and desires and desires and needs and simply existence. I’ve all the time drawn loads from nature, and in some ways pulling from Nuclear Warfare: A Situation felt like an extension of that. A “what if?”
You labored with Austin Ward and Damian Taylor on this. What did they every convey to the mission that actually pushed issues ahead?
WRABEL: Wow, I don’t know that I can put that into phrases, however alas I shall strive! Austin and I had labored collectively a bit on my final album, and it’s not usually I meet somebody new that I’m magnetically drawn to in my work life. I are typically an island, and I’ll say I will be cussed in not eager to work with individuals I don’t know. However from our first session, I felt he was simply so singular and so particular. Our Venn diagram was Venn diagramming! Ha.
Fairly early on I confirmed him a number of the issues I’d been engaged on and requested if he’d be open to co-producing the issues I’d began, in addition to the songs we had been writing collectively, and assist construct the world of up above. It was a extremely thrilling partnership; it felt so pure and creatively aligned.
Damian was launched to me by Tom Gates. Tom confirmed as much as lunch (at Crossroads Kitchen, as all the time) with handwritten notes in his pocket book – notes on my songs, and on concepts for the album. The primary identify on the shortlist was Damian Taylor.
We received collectively – Damian, Austin, and I – and talked about what we had been doing. We then received in Austin’s studio for a listen-through. Damian is the one particular person on the planet I’ve ever let problem me. I say that and I imply that. LOL. Like, he stated one thing in our first assembly like, “I’m gonna take you and your file and seize it by the ankles and shake it out,” and I replied one thing like, “Properly, I hate that – let’s go!!”
He had such robust convictions and concepts and has a guru-like understanding of sound. Working with him actually modified me to the core. The problem was a problem, however it was not solely accepted, it was tremendously appreciated. He pushed us to hunt what was essential in each measure of each track – each vocal, each synth, each instrument.
There have been numerous moments the place he did one thing or questioned one thing and cracked a code. And it was a extremely human and exquisite expertise – three inventive individuals with robust convictions and nil ego. There was no room for ego. What an attractive and uncommon factor.
You’re diving into some large themes right here: which means, love, dread, magnificence… How do you personally stability all these heavy ideas each day?
WRABEL: I ignore them! Ha. However actually… I imply, I don’t utterly ignore them, however I actually do see music as a means of expressing issues so that they’re out of my head and coronary heart and psyche. I are likely to stay every single day like a child – like, okay, what ought to we (I) do at this time? I attempt to maintain a childlike naïveté about every little thing. Perhaps from getting sober a number of occasions and combating psychological well being points, I attempt to go away numerous room for shock and awe and surprise. And I feel in that, I can see the flipside of these fantastic issues: existential dread, apathy, and so on. However I can’t permit myself to get misplaced in these issues, as a result of I’ve been there, and it scares me. I attempt to steer clear of scary emotions and experiences – for higher or for worse.
The visuals for this mission are beautiful! How concerned had been you in that inventive path, and what vibe had been you going for?
WRABEL: Thanks! This was undoubtedly probably the most concerned I’ve ever been. I had numerous concepts and common vibes, and I knew I needed a mushroom cloud/nuclear bomb in it. The finality of that picture, and in addition the kind of disturbing great thing about it – the colours, and so on. I had additionally referenced my favourite artist René Magritte – I really like the odd surrealism of his work.
Dana Trippe is completely unimaginable and introduced a lot to the visuals. I do know it’s not out but, however the cowl artwork offers me goosebumps. The world she constructed and the alternatives she made — it simply felt like precisely what it needs to be, if that is sensible.
“Future” feels so hopeful and lightweight – it’s an attractive opener for the album. Was that all the time your imaginative and prescient for the primary single?
WRABEL: To be trustworthy, this entire album got here unexpectedly..! “Future” was the very first thing that got here out of me, however the entire thing kind of took me unexpectedly. I undoubtedly needed to do one thing that felt true in its feeling and lyric, and I are typically an optimist – generally naively so. “Future” is an ode to constructing one thing from the bottom up – even beneath the bottom. Holding onto and trusting the roots of a relationship, to have the ability to search for. To look ahead into what could possibly be and what we hope can be.
You’ve created such highly effective, private anthems prior to now. Do you are feeling like Up Above nonetheless holds house for identification and connection in that means?
WRABEL: Thanks! I feel it is a completely different album, however I’m and can all the time be the identical artist. For me, this has been a improvement: one other angle, one other aspect, a deeper dive, some kind of exploration. However I all the time write at the start from a real house.
This album lacks the narrative and literal storytelling of numerous my previous work, however the emotions are true. And I feel that’s actually what connects us all – emotions. So, in that big-picture sense, I hope and consider that while you pay attention, you’ll hear your self within the file.
On the finish of the day, what’s the one feeling or thought you’d love individuals to stroll away with after listening to Up Above?
WRABEL: Hmm, that’s a tough one. I’d say hope. Within the midst of every little thing, hope. A lightweight on the finish of the tunnel, a break within the clouds.
As I kind this, I see on my wall one in every of my favourite items by one in every of my favourite artists, David Shrigley, that claims, “Flowers nonetheless bloom in any case.” I don’t suppose it’s simply coincidence that that piece was inside eyeshot, hanging on my lounge wall, whereas – and the place – numerous this file was created.
As cliché as that will sound or be, I consider that to be true. I took it a number of steps additional – to the attainable finish of the world, maybe – however I attempted to do all of it in a hopeful means. Holding two contradictory issues true on the identical time.
We received’t be right here endlessly. We don’t even understand how lengthy “endlessly” would or might presumably be. And but, right here we’re – what are we gonna do? How a lot sweeter does one thing grow to be while you actually understand it’s fleeting? Perhaps not gone in an hour or a day or weeks or months and even years, however we’ll all attain the tip. And finally, this entire broad world we consider as so large and huge (which is kind of small and random within the grand scheme of all that’s) can be mud.
I attempted to seek out some kind of peace in that – and a deep appreciation for what we’re, and what we will be.
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