At the time of writing his new album, Boyscott’s principal songwriter Scott Hermo Jr. wasn’t actually aware that he was writing his record Spellbound. “It was truly just a fun process of creativity experiments and first-thought-best-thought mentality,” remembers Hermo. The album, originally released in 2015, introduced Boyscott’s spin on breezy surf-inspired indie pop, and began a tour-heavy career that would persist nearly a decade before new music would be released.

Boyscott turned to extensive touring for inspiration and growth. “I had to mature and learn a ton to be able to finish these songs — it helped to tour for a few years and play alongside seasoned live bands and see how they arranged songs for live settings,” explains Hermo. These experiences helped Hermo navigate the recording process with new intention and dynamism, further emboldened by rising engineer Scoops Dardaris (They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Another Michael, Undeath), who re-recorded the entire album with Hermo after they scrapped the initial Spellbound recordings — this time with the help of longtime bandmate Emma Willer, drummer Noah Dardaris, and bassist Davey Alaimo.

In the Spellbound sonic universe, hooks about friendship and growing up in New Jersey orbit driving verses that prize brevity, never laboring longer than necessary. On lead single “Rocky Road,” Boyscott explore the mental gymnastics required for a career in music, pulling on the threads of fear and excitement they experienced in their early tours. Such reflection is abundant on Spellbound.

Pre-order Spellbound by Boyscott HERE