Palehound’s New Album and the Creative Circle Behind ‘Natural Disasters’

A comeback built around collaboration

El Kempner, the New York-via-Boston artist behind Palehound, is set to release You Sing Like You’re Joking on February 5 through Polyvinyl. It is Kempner’s fifth full-length under the Palehound alias, following 2023’s Eye on the Bat.

The production credits point to a circle of collaborators rather than a solitary return. Katie Von Schleicher and Ava Luna’s Julian Fader co-produced the record, while Nick Hakim contributes. For independent artists, that setup offers a useful reminder: a release can keep a distinct identity while making room for other people’s input. The nine-song track list, which opens with “Incisions” and closes with “Sleep Through Anything,” gives listeners a sense of the album’s shape.

“Natural Disasters” brings the album to life

The lead single arrives with a music video directed by Rachel Brown of Water From Your Eyes. Its images pair gas masks and abandoned houses with best friends holding hands, balancing apocalyptic props with human connection. Brown said the gas mask was a direct reference to 1960s nuclear-war imagery and described the video’s focus as holding on to the joy of friendship and love, even when someone is no longer part of your daily life.

Brown also treated the forecast for a nor’easter as part of the shoot, continuing despite government warnings. The resulting video gives “Natural Disasters” a distinct visual identity rather than treating the track as a simple promotional clip. For independent musicians, that is a lesson in scale: a clear visual idea and a director who understands the song can go a long way.

What this means for you

Palehound’s return shows how a personal project can grow through a small network of peers: two co-producers, a contributor and a filmmaker with a specific visual language. The announcement puts collaboration at the heart of the new record rather than presenting it as a solo reset.

For independent artists, the practical takeaway is to build relationships before a record is finished, give collaborators room to shape the work, and give a single visual idea the attention it deserves. You do not need a major campaign to make a release feel like a world of its own.

Source: Pitchfork News