In 2024, Marika Hackman unveiled her expansive fourth full-length, Big Sigh. She is now previewing its successor, False Dogs, slated for release next year. Today we are treated to the existential opening track, “33”.
“’33’ contends with the lingering ache of nostalgia, the unease about the future, and the celebration of the moments in between. “Keep pushing, it’s worth it,” Hackman notes. False Dogs was conceived, arranged, and written by Hackman herself, with sessions held at a chapel-turned-studio in Kent and contributions from Charlie Andrew and Polly Mackey (Art School Girlfriend). “In trying to wrangle with the idea of what’s ‘expected’ from us at certain ages, it allowed me to really reflect on all the things that make life wonderful — even at its bleakest,” she elaborated.
The single is compact yet intense as Hackman holds the past up to the present and tries to find meaning in everything. “Oh but life is so beautiful/ When you hold it extra tight/ And you let it go,” she concludes with a poignant lyric. It arrives accompanied by a surreal video from JOFI Films; watch below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “33”
02 “Close To Me”
03 “I’m Good”
04 “Handsome”
05 “The Blows”
06 “Be Surprised”
07 “Everything You Wanted”
08 “Ha_Happy”
09 “Half Painted Dog”
10 “Hello Sunshine”
11 “Lying Down”
12 “Crimson”
False Dogs is out on 2/19/27 on Chrysalis. Pre-order it here.
