Having worked with the likes of Alex G, Tinashe, Mitski, and countless others over a 15-year span, Ryan Hemsworth has developed an uncanny ear for talent while simultaneously honing his craft as a shapeshifting producer comfortable in any genre setting. Although known for his prolific output and seemingly endless high-profile collaborations, Numbskull is Hemsworth’s first solo album since 2018’s Elsewhere, and his first for Topshelf Records.

On Numbskull, Hemsworth squares a tangled mix of influences ranging from shoegaze to lo-fi to metal, all squeezed through the lens of his globe-trotting pop background. Hemsworth embraces these heavy, distorted influences on the blown-out lead single “One Step,” a blaring foundation for the boisterous vocal performance delivered by Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties.

Hemsworth’s links to the hardcore scene have grown over the years, leading him to Ian Shelton of Militarie Gun, who introduced Hemsworth to MSPAINT’s Dylan Kern, whose raw and raucous vocal feature for “No One Else” calls to mind the Beastie Boys in a song that feels spiritually indebted to video game menu music.

But the Canadian producer explores his heavier influences through more than just electronic pop on Numbskull. Take “Never Learned” featuring Tegan and Sara, the album’s twist and midway anchor point. It’s an unexpected jolt of huge guitar and blast beats, with Hemsworth playing the role of rock bandleader in an urgent, infectious emo anthem about succumbing to who you really are.

In contrast, “A Display of Emotion” highlights the inherent sentimentality underlying all of Numbskull in a downtempo instrumental that flashes with Hemsworth’s studied sound design and newfound emphasis on guitar. Sister track and album closer, “Shifting and Turning,” sees Hemsworth deconstructing the constituent elements into ambient respite, a space to experiment with a style of production that drew him to music in the first place, at once paying homage to humble beginnings while shattering the moulds that previously defined his work.

Pressing Info:

1st press vinyl:
/100 ~ 180g black
/100 ~ red
/unlimited ~ yellow (will be available at your local record shop!)