There are a few things you can say about quannnic without qualification.

They are one of the most exciting young singer-songwriter-producers to emerge in indie rock in the past five years. They have a preternatural gift for creating layered, captivating music that has earned the attention and respect of musicians twice their age. And their third album, Warbrained, out Friday, is their biggest and most audacious work yet. What’s less clear-cut is the question of whether quannnic is, in fact, shoegaze. “I think when people call me ‘shoegaze,’ it pisses off 70 per cent of Reddit,” quannnic [they/them] jokes, with a laugh, over Zoom. “Like, all of r/shoegaze? They’re like, ‘Never call that kid “shoegaze” ever again! You are committing a crime!’” Not that quannnic necessarily fully embraces the term, though along with other Gen Z artists like the rising star Wisp, they are regularly tagged with the word, and written aboutas emblematic of a resurgence – if not a “comeback” – for the hazy, spacious, pedal-heavy genre that began more than 35 years ago.

“I am definitely inspired by shoegaze bands, but I just wouldn’t call myself one hundred per cent shoegaze,” quannnic explains. “Because I like making other shit. And I would say – I don’t want to speak for Wisp, but I feel like she feels that way too. I think we’re just heavily inspired by those bands, and we’re just doing our ownshit, with that inspiration. And I also wouldn’t call it a ‘revival’ of shoegaze. I think there’s a lot of cool real shoegaze bands, like Whirr, who I love, but I just wouldn’t call myself a shoegaze artist. I don’t even know what it means to be ‘one hundred per cent’ shoegaze.” Labels aside, quannnic is one hundred per cent compelling, and has been so since day one. Initially, they gained attention, as a COVID-era Florida teen, through digicore singles, alternately jittery and tender, but soon pivoted to contemplative, washed-out rock.

Quannnic’s debut album kenopsia dropped in early 2022, was written, performed and self-produced in the artist’s bedroom, and released via DistroKid and Bandcamp. But it didn’t find a serious audience until eighteen months later, due to the belated breakout success of the thundering “life imitates life,” which charted on Billboard and Spotify, and set quannnic up nicely for the release of a second LP, 2023’s Stepdream. Recorded at the studio of quannnic’s friend and live bandmate Max Epstein [aka Photographic Memory], Stepdream marked a serious step up in terms of sonics and storytelling. There were cameos from two of quannnic’s alt-rock heroes, Julian Koster [Orbiting Human Circus, Neutral Milk Hotel] and Jeff Schroeder [Smashing Pumpkins], a marked shift toward guitar “gaze” and an emotional storyline, supported by album and single art, of an abusive home, and an innocent’s fiery revenge. On songs like the driving “How To Hold a Knife” and the flanged, booming “Comatose” and “South,” quannnic unveiled wholly new levels of intensity. That size and scope has only continued on the new Warbrained, a record that comes less than two years after Stepdream, and like its predecessor, offers affecting commentary on a tortured soul – in this case, a veteran struggling with anxiety and PTSD. In second single “Observer,” quannnic sings, “Telling war stories to the two-way mirror / Fucking up my knuckles just to prove something.” Quannnic cites among their longstanding influences the great Pacific Northwest experimentalist Phil Elverum, particularly his work with The Microphones, as well as the late Elliott Smith and – “of course” – Radiohead. They’re all artists, who like quannnic, can mine beauty from often disquieting places, but who prefer abstraction over explicitness.

Quannnic will lead you there, but only to a point. I didn’t get the lyrics for Warbrained until after our conversation, but on paper they are darkly fascinating. On standout “Heavensafe”: “I’ve turned to slop again / you’ve been shaped into my hand / slowly, I remember what you were / you contained me in this war.” “Floorface” opens with, “The quiet depths are deadening / it’s making me feel delirious / the nothing noise is quite the same as when people talk to my face.” Rather than trying to decipher too much from the oblique words – and quannnic is not one to over-explain them – it’s just as rewarding to soak in Warbrained’s sound in all its majesty and variety. It can be as bright and chimey as the recent single “Aviator”; flirt with the post-metal grandeur of Deafheaven on “Floorface;” and merge waltz time sway with a chaotic finish on “Heavensafe.” There’s a jangle-y opener, “Prunesnail”, a bold “Torch” that gives widescreen license to quannnic’s more left-field tendencies, with reversing effects, plucked acoustics and a soft vocal, and their voice has ever soared more than on a gut-busting stunner, “Scolder.” As for visuals, quannnic has once again gone for the weirdly unsettling, though this time with a dash of humor. Warbrained’s cover, by Mario Dante Napoli, depicts a cartoon-like brain, while a comically gruesome neurosurgery – of sorts – is the setting for the “Observer” video. In their most recent video, “Aviator,” little skeleton-faced kids run amok.

In quannnic’s world, rules are meant to be broken, be they conventions of music, gender, visuals or even clothes: they told me they relish the idea of pushing some swag on the notoriously fashion-allergic world of indie rock, one Balenciaga hoodie at a time. And quannnic’s anything-goes ethos is shared by their musical home, DeadAir, the indie label founded in 2021 and most associated with electronic genre-flouters including Photographic Memory, Quinn, kmoe, and breakout badass Jane Remover, with whom quannnic went on an early 2024 co-headline tour dubbed Designated Dreams. It is within DeadAir’s expansive and queer-friendly world that what digicore and shoegaze have in common emerges: a progressive mindset. First wave shoegaze stood out in the early Nineties as a uniquely feminist and gender- diverse corner of otherwise mostly dude-dominated alt rock. My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields once remarked that there were as many women as men in the shoegaze world. One of many examples of that diversity is the legendary Slowdive. And, just to circle back to whether young quannnic has earned any shoegaze bona fides, who do you suppose tapped them to open not one, but two tours, in late 2024 and early 2025? None other than the English OGs. Sometimes you don’t need to jump up and down to earn your cred. You just let your music – and cosigns – speak for themselves. As you read this, quannnic is somewhere in their adopted home of Los Angeles, readying their biggest headline tour yet, with bandmates Rome Hearn, Ryan Riffenburgh, and – the newest addition to the lineup – shoegaze maestro Will Kraus. We spoke two weeks before Warbrained’s release.

VMAN: Quannnic, thanks for doing this! I hope you’re proud of Warbrained, it’s really amazing. Such a special record. 

quannnic: Thank you so much. I definitely am proud of it. I think it’s better than both of the other ones. 

VMAN: So it’s been about a year and nine months since Stepdream dropped. And what a time that’s been for you on the live front and recording-wise. How different is this feeling, releasing now? Because just before Stepdream, you had this delayed blow-up with “life imitates life” and then, in turn, a lot of people discovering kenopsia. That was a lot happening at once. 

quannnic: Yeah. It was almost perfect timing. “life imitates life” blew up right before I was about to release Stepdream, and it was crazy cause that was very delayed. And I didn’t expect it to really get that much traction, so but I think I am probably more proud of Stepdream, and like, playing the songs live? I think the Stepdream songs are way more fun live.  But seeing people sing “life imitates life” is still crazy, cause I made that like, in my room, at my parents’ house. 

VMAN: You strike me as someone who’s pretty confident about their studio abilities. But on the live front, like I said, last year, you started 2024 with your first ever tour, with Jane [Remover]. You played festivals, moved to L.A. and within a few months you did these two back-to-back tour legs with Slowdive. I would think that in terms of live performing you must have grown a lot in confidence in that time, no?

quannnic: Yeah. I think, going into the live shows – with the Jane tour I was a lot more nervous, because it was the first time like running a full set of my songs, just like back-to-back, for multiple days on end? But on the Slowdive tour, I felt super comfortable playing those, and I think I’m a better performer now. But I definitely still feel more confident as a studio person, rather than a performer. I still think I have room to evolve, performing-wise. 

VMAN: So that’s interesting that you in a way felt comfortable going into the Slowdive tour because, well, I guess – I don’t know but – you were playing considerably bigger venues. And I mean, it was Slowdive! Um…it sounds like you weren’t ever like, “Am I worthy of this tour?”

quannnic: Oh I definitely [laughs] – I suffer from imposter syndrome with everything! But I just felt really confident in the live set, cause we rehearsed a lot for it. But the Slowdive part of it was like, I was always so nervous. For sure. 

VMAN: Before we talk the new music, your cover art and videos have been so different with each project. kenopsia had this washed out, abstract cover, Stepdream kind of had this renaissance avenging angel cover, single covers that told this story about an abusive home and a fire, and in “Rummage” a video depicting this guy really at the end of his rope. Now with Warbrained we have this almost horror cartoon vibe by Mario Dante Napoli.

quannnic: Mm hmm. 

VMAN: What can you say about him and your other big visual collaborator, Blindlight?

quannnic: So, I met Mario because him and Aaron [Fenichell, of Blindlight] did the videos for Stepdream? He, or they did the “Comatose” video and the “Rummage” video. And I just bonded with them really well? And I saw that he painted, on his Instagram, and it had this real edgy, powerful feel that I really liked. And I wanted to see if he could do the artwork for the Warbrained stuff. And he really nailed it, like the single cover arts, with like “Wrenches” [a guy ostensibly lighting a cigarette, and in the process his entire arm] he really nailed it. I think he did great. And I wanted it to be less like, picture, storybook-y like Stepdream is, but I still wanted it to tell a certain story? I think single covers are super important. Like, if you look at the Stepdream ones that tells an entire story. And that’s very intentional. But with Warbrained I wanted it to be more vague, but still have the same feeling. 

VMAN: How much direction did you give him, in these covers? 

quannnic: I told him the basic, general ideas of what I wanted. Like I wanted a big, huge brain on the cover, whatever – but for the covers, most of the direction was him. I just trust him a lot with how he like, feels with the music, and how he translates that to physical art?

VMAN: And with the “Observer” video, how this kind of wacky but creepy brain surgery, operating room idea came about? 

quannnic: So, me and my roommate have this inside joke, when we’re playing video games we tell people that I’m a brain surgeon? And I kind of wanted to just see how weird that idea could get in like a music video environment? I remember calling Mario one day and being like, “I have this idea. We have to have someone being operated on while they are playing an instrument!” so that they are actively monitoring his brain? But I don’t know, it quickly evolved into something more gory. 

VMAN: Yeah. It is gory as you say but it also has this lightness to it. Whereas the visuals that accompanied Stepdream they didn’t have that maybe comic book quality? Is that fair? 

quannnic: Yeah, for sure. 

VMAN: And does that reflect in any way what this record is, or the tone of this record? The mood of this record, do you think? 

quannnic: I think it definitely does. I think, for art direction I was inspired by old, like Fifties Batman comics. I wanted it to feel super cartoonish, in a way? Just like, going over the top with the blood and shit in “Observer.” I think that definitely ties into it. But I think the writing on Warbrained is kind of dark in a way to a point where I wanted it to be almost ironic, like with the art tying into it. 

VMAN: So, about the album title. You do have a song on the album called “Wardeath” and there’s a lyrics in “Observer” that talks about “war stories.” But you know, I kind of asked Jane [Remover] a similar question in the spring, about their title Revengeseekerz that it could be taken on a personal level or maybe a political one, because these are some scary times we are in, especially for marginalized people. So what does Warbrained mean to you?

quannnic: Yeah I think it’s definitely more personal. I think it means like, war with yourself? But also, I find myself writing about, at least on that record, like war, in general. And when veterans come home and they have PTSD? That was really the theme of it all. Like some veteran losing his mind. But at the end of the day I found it was way more personal than what I intended it to be. Like, I start out trying to write concept albums, and then it becomes very personal to me. 

VMAN: So I guess you’re not someone who is really inclined to write about the state of things we’re in right now? 

quannnic: No, definitely not. 

VMAN: Are you someone who stays plugged into the news, and what’s going on, day-to-day? 

quannnic: I try to stay away from it, because it makes me immeasurably sad. 

VMAN: For sure. So going into this record was there a “concept”, quote-unquote, or something specifically you wanted to do differently from Stepdream?

quannnic: When I start off making a record I don’t really have a concept in my head? And then I try to tie in the lyrics together and make a story out of it? And then usually it ends up being similar. The Stepdream story and the Warbrained story are both like, equally dark. But I don’t know, I think it was not supposed to be similar, but it ended up becoming similar. 

VMAN: In the sense of what a, damaged person might be? I mean I don’t wanna put words in your mouth here. 

quannnic: No, yeah – yeah, you’re getting it pretty well.  It usually is about like, a damaged person. 

VMAN: I think the release announcing Warbrained called it your “darkest” record to date. 

quannnic: Just the themes, maybe. Honestly I don’t think it’s really the darkest album, concept-wise. Warbrained I think sonically, it sounds the darkest. But writing-wise I think it’s equal to Stepdream and kenopsia. 

VMAN: I will say for me it’s your biggest-sounding record. I mean “South” and “Comatose’ [from Stepdream] had a big sound, but for me there’s an almost cinematic quality here, on “Torch” or “Paperweight” or certainly “Floorface” which may be my favorite. There are places where you’re almost venturing into Deafheaven-level massive sounds. Was that goal, to get “bigger,” sonically? 

quannnic: Well first of all, thank you for the Deafheaven comparison, I love them. I don’t know, it’s kind of crazy because when I was producing the album, it has a lot less layers than both kenopsia and Stepdream. Like instrumentally? I think I found a way to make everything sound a lot more explosive with less stuff? And in that way, the explosiveness of it, mixing-wise, has way more emphasis. Because there’s less layers to explode, you know. I mean with kenopsia we were talking about 80-layer projects, that were frying my MacBook! And now I think Warbrained has like – it’s just very bare-bones, but super effect-heavy. 

VMAN: Now, Stepdream you worked primarily in Max [Epstein], Photographic Memory’s studio.

quannnic: Yeah.

VMAN: Where did you do this one, and were there any new people involved with this that you hadn’t worked with before? 

quannnic: It was all right here! I think I worked on four of the songs at my house in Florida? But then I finished the record here in L.A. And I don’t think there was any help at all, besides mastering. This was my first album with zero features on it. Well, there’s Rome [Hearn]. That’s the only collaborator on this album. He drummed for me on kenopsia, Stepdream and this album. And I love working with him, he’s one of my best friends. 

VMAN: I touched on the Slowdive tour earlier, but I mean, what an opportunity for you. And it was actually extended, right? 

quannnic: Yeah we actually – we did the first run, and I think our band and their band really clicked well? And I remember Neil [Halstead], on the last day was like, “You should come on tour with us again sometime.” And I thought he was just being nice, I thought, “Okay, yeah! Sure! That’s definitely not gonna happen.”  [laughs]  And then we get the email, like, “they want to do round two!” And I thought, “Holy shit, he was serious!” 

VMAN: Did the Slowdive fans seem to know you? Od did it feel like you were introducing yourself to a lot of them?

quannnic: Yeah for sure. I think – there was a weird crossover between quannnic fans and Slowdive fans? I think the younger Slowdive fans knew who I was? But there was a lot of like, older people, that have been seeing Slowdive for years. And I felt like it was my mission to play a good show for them, specifically? Cause I wanted them to fuck with the quannnic project. 

VMAN: So. I think when a lot of people think quannnic, they think the shaggy hair, the glasses. Do you give a lot of thought to your personal style, and has it changed over time? Because I don’t think I even know what you really looked like, pre-kenopsia. 

quannnic: Yeah my style has definitely changed, from kenopsia. I was like 16, 17, and I was just wearing like thrift store, triple-XL clothes. Cause I was just in my room all the time!  But now I think I’m – I love fashion in general. And I actually, I got hate one time on the Slowdive tour, cause I was wearing a Balenciaga hoodie? 

VMAN: So, with logos all over it? 

quannnic: Yeah well, it was a Balenciaga hoodie, but it was like mirrored?

VMAN: Oh! 

quannnic: And so someone was like, “Quannnic is a fucking industry plant! They’re wearing Balenciaga on stage with Slowdive!” And I was like, I love that shit. I think it’s super like, ironic in a way that I’m wearing a Balenciaga hoodie in like an indie circle? And I think me and Max have this in common, we love swag! [laughs] And I think bringing swag to rock music is super fun, and I think important. Because I think a lot of people in rock have like, this aura of where, “Oh I have to be grungy, thrift store-only type clothes.” Like, you can wear Rick Owens if you want to! [laughs] 

VMAN: You were – in one of your recent press shots weren’t you wearing Rick Owens boots? 

quannnic: Yeah yeah. 

VMAN: Obviously one thing  people associate with you is your glasses but I feel like I saw a recent photo of you without them, and I was wondering if  you were toying with the idea of getting rid of them. 

quannnic: I think the glasses are stuck to me! Sometimes I’ll fall asleep with them on. Actually, I did a shoot with my friend’s brand Colourtrax, just like modeling his new collection? And I was shooting without glasses, and my friend Fernando came in the shoot and he was like, “What are you doing without your glasses on, bro?” So I think it’s very, it’s like a staple to me now.

VMAN: And, generally baggy clothes, you like? Is that fair? 

quannnic: Yeah. I think I am less baggy now than I was? I do like baggy pants, but I like form-fitting shirts though, I think it’s cooler. 

VMAN: In the footage I saw of your [2024] Market Hotel show I think you were wearing a football jersey?

quannnic: Yeah that was a Sopranos promo jersey!  It was Jane’s and I was borrowing it. I wanted to wear it cause my dad was in the audience and he loves The Sopranos. 

VMAN: Any particular item of clothing you would never be caught dead in? 

quannnic: I think hats look goofy on me. I’m a big hat hater. Oh and I just did this shoot, and they had me wear a V-neck? And I was like, “This is – I do not feel like myself right now.” But I did it anyway. So, nothing really that I wouldn’t be like, “caught dead” wearing, but things that I don’t like are definitely there, and V-necks, definitely one of them.

VMAN: So with this next tour coming up, your first as a solo headliner, are you looking forward to it? Or are you like, “Oh god, now we’re doing another tour and this time it’s kind of all on me, like more than ever!”? 

quannnic: It’s definitely nerve-wracking, but I’m super excited for it. Cause it’s gonna be a brand-new set list. And I’ve been running the same set list since I started touring! So. I’m super excited to do the Warbrained stuff. I think it’s gonna translate well live. 

VMAN: Has your live band changed at all since the very beginning? 

quannnic: Yeah, Ryan [Riffenburgh, formerly of OutWest] took the place of Max, but Max is still technically in the band. And Rome on drums and now we have Will Kraus, who has his own project called Kraus, it’s like my favorite shoegaze project. [Kraus has also produced for Wisp, glaive and Photographic Memory] So he’s awesome, and he plays bass with us now. 

VMAN: Do you think you’re gonna do the majority of the record in the live show? 

quannnic: I want to do, I think eight out of the ten. And then, there will be “life imitates life” for sure, and then probably two Stepdream songs I feel. 

VMAN: You’re going out beginning of September. Have you already been practicing a lot of the set, and do you already have a lot of the Warbrained songs up and running and ready to go? 

quannnic: I’m not gonna lie. I have to re-learn like 80 per cent of the album! Cause when I write the songs I don’t – they’re not things that I write. I kind of just noodle until I have something cohesive? So I have to re-listen to it, and just re-learn all of it. But yeah we have to get to practicing, because it’s kind of scary now that I think about it! 

quannnic’s Warbrained is out August 22^nd. Their North American tour begins September 4^th in Miami.