Ben Silby release album 'can't hang'
A DECADE-SPANNING QUEER INDIE POP ODYSSEY THROUGH LOVE, LOSS & LIMINAL SPACES
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Represented by Decent Music PR, Brooklyn-based queer singer/songwriter Ben Silby unveils their long-awaited debut album “can’t hang,” a genre-blurring, emotionally raw, and infectiously catchy journey through the many lives they've lived between 2014 and now.
Equal parts existential and earworm, “can’t hang” merges Indie Pop, Bedroom Pop, and Alternative with a disarming blend of humour and vulnerability. Known for weaving heavy themes into bright sonic textures, Silby’s music echoes the bold honesty of Fiona Apple, the theatrical introspection of Rufus Wainwright, and the genre-defying experimentation of Perfume Genius and James Blake.
“‘Can’t hang’ is like a coming-of-age album,” says Silby. “It really does chronicle my mistakes in love, communication, self-worth. These songs span a decade of my life, and they carry the hard truths I’ve learned on the way. I’ve always felt like I was on the outside looking in, but over the years I’ve seen that I’m the one putting myself on the outside–and it might be because I like it that way.”
Inspired by the ever-shifting energy of New York City from 2009 to now, Silby channels the messiness of urban life and queer experience into bittersweet lyrics wrapped in sparkling, offbeat melodies. Produced by Miles Francis at Synthia Studios, the album was shaped through intimate, experimental sessions that involved analogue beats, theremin flourishes, and Silby pushing their vocal boundaries. “Miles just gets me. This album couldn’t have happened without them—or without Shiftee, who mixed every track with so much care.”
TRACKLIST & NOTES:
1. dirt i – A defiant anthem about rejecting boxes and binaries; choosing to be “nothing at all” rather than something you're not.
2. my bad – A catchy, regret-tinged reflection on mistaking lust for love, knowing better, and doing it anyway.
3. Misfit – Written in 2015, this track captures Silby’s toxic love affair with NYC and the dream of running to California.
4. dirt ii – Heavy in theme, light in feel. A song about being disillusioned with love, but grounded in nature’s quiet power. Features analogue percussion and Silby on theremin.
5. interlude – A minimalist, diary-inspired moment anchored by the line: “our teeth would clink as we kissed and I miss the discomfort of knowing we didn’t fit.”
6. blue – The oldest track on the record, written in 2014. A tender love letter turned post-mortem on a fleeting California romance.
7. wavy – A surf-rock tinged “sad bop” about pandemic-era codependency and the catharsis of cutting ties. A crowd favourite at live shows.
8. can’t hang – The title track and emotional centrepiece. A hazy, restless meditation on overstimulation, miscommunication, and the exhaustion of performing your identity for others.
For fans of indie pop that’s unfiltered, painfully real, and impossibly catchy, Ben Silby is your new favourite sad clown philosopher.
Photo Credits:
Artwork - Shot by Sarah Silbert
Press Images - Melissa Isabel @melissa_isabelphoto
Stylist: Christian Ramirez @mrramirezz
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING…
Get ready to fall under the spell of Ben Silby’s captivating sound - Fame Magazine
authentic sound that feels refreshing in the modern digital music landscape - TAGG
Silby has carved a solid space for themselves in the scene very quickly - Earmilk
Silby’s sound is both relatable and theatrical - Vents Magazine
Ben Silby continues to innovate within the indie-pop genre - Notion
Highly accessible bop you shouldn’t miss - We Are Going Solo
