Having appeared on BlackPlastic.co.uk in April 2020, NY-based Irish-Iranian musician Glassio has just unveiled his new single, Off The Cuff.
Opening with a crisp drum beat and a warm, fuzzy guitar melody, Off The Cuff basks in a familiar and intimate performance. Glassio’s vocal sits above layers of tight instrumentation, gently yearning and shot through with September sun. This all gives way to a much bigger sound for the chorus, those vocals pulled taut like elastic, seemingly becoming weightless, in contrast.
That lightness is appropriate with lyrics so concerned with being on one’s feet, and what is on the ground. Glassio invites us to ‘Come see the stress on the ground’, and the song ultimately culminates in the statement ‘…lost without a crutch, help me get my feet back, off the cuff’. For a song seemingly preoccupied with inertia, perhaps that floaty, gravity-free feeling isn’t the ultimate solution either — to move, one needs something to push against. As Off The Cuff enters its fourth minute, it becomes consumed by crunchy guitars, and in their grounded energy, it feels like the push we all require.
Glassio’s new single is full of bright, considered detail. The percussion and drums remind me of the brilliant creativity of MJ Lenderman, but combined with something just a little dream-like. Check it out below, and look out for the forthcoming album, The Imposter, due 25 February 2026, which is itself an exploration of replication and authenticity in an age where reality itself is difficult to pin down.