CRUSHED ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM AND SHARES NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO “STARBURN”

crushed by Ben Rayner

NO SCOPE DUE SEPTEMBER 26TH VIA GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL

crushed announces their debut full length album no scope due September 26th via Ghostly International. Alongside the album announcement, crushed shares the lead single “starburn,” which arrives with a video directed by Luke Orlando. no scope follows crushed’s debut EP extra life released in 2023, which was the premier collaboration between musicians Bre Morrell and Shaun Durkan.

Speaking about the new single, Durkan shares, “starburn is about searching for hope on the brink of despair. I was reflecting on how I’ve spent my life, how I’ve used my time, and how desperate I’ve felt for it all to amount to something worthy of all the things I’ve sacrificed. A stable job, a family, my overall wellbeing, etc… and the fear that maybe I’d spent my life in vain searching in the wrong places for some kind of satisfaction / self worth. Maybe I missed a turn somewhere. The song is a cry for some kind of divine intervention, or for a blessing of cosmic luck to make me feel like my life could eventually add up to something that made sense to me before the fear and regret catches up and takes the wheel.”

Recording out of various homes, not fixed to any single location (Morell from Texas, now based in Los Angeles, and Durkan in Portland, Oregon), crushed write the songs they want to hear, tuning from shared taste for trip-hop, Britpop, electronica, and the canon of ’90s alt radio, a desire for emotionality, and an instinct for when it sounds right and honest; when it means something real to them. no scope embodies Morrell and Durkan’s trust in one another and in their craft. A “no scope” kill in the video game lexicon is achieved by shooting a sniper rifle at close range without scoping in on your target, an apt metaphor for two artists following their pop impulses, shooting from the hip with precision. On the triumphant no scope, crushed take life’s best shots with their strongest work, wielding melodic, open-hearted hooks through a maze of breakbeats and spliced sound design with unprecedented immediacy and clarity. Next level, unlocked.

no scope follows extra life, the 2023 EP and debut collaboration between Morell, who also fronts the band Temple of Angels (Run For Cover Records), and Durkan, who has produced for others (Topographies, Young Prisms) following the 2010s run of his former band Weekend (Slumberland Records). Their first batch of songs together saw a groundswell of support, finding early fans in Pitchfork, NPR, and Ghostly International, who signed the band and gave extra life a wider physical release in 2024. extra life is home to the tracks “waterlily,” which received a remix from Real Lies, and “milksugar,” which received a remix from DJ Python last year. crushed capped the year with their first-ever shows in the UK, and tested new material and live arrangements in early 2025 as the album was finalized.

Written throughout the slow-simmering breakout, no scope finds the band driven to refocus, refine, and level up, to deliver on extra life’s promise. Morell and Durkan started songs remotely, then alternated sessions between their living spaces and co-producer/mixer Jorge Elbrecht’s house, a first for them after exclusively self-producing. Elbrecht brought his accomplished ear for melody and structure (credits include Japanese Breakfast, Hatchie, and Weyes Blood), helping them narrow down dozens of demos. More a culmination than a debut, no scope feels refreshingly unguarded and fine-tuned, a modern work from two artists coursing the crosshairs of life in real-time.

This Saturday, crushed will perform a headline show in New York City at Night Club 101 with support from double knee. And then this fall, crushed will join Cafuné on their North American tour for a run of 19 dates this September and October with performances in Washington, D.C., Montreal, Chicago, Denver, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin, Brooklyn, and more. Tickets are available HERE.

Upcoming Live Dates
^ = headline show
* = supporting Cafuné

6/28 – New York, NY @ Night Club 101^

9/19 – Washington, DC @ The Atlantis*
9/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at The Fillmore*
9/22 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall*
9/23 – Montréal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB*
9/24 – Toronto, ON @ The Great Hall*
9/26 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall*
9/27 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon*
9/30 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall*
10/2 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge*
10/5 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios*
10/6 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile @ Madame Lou’s*
10/8 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club*
10/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom*
10/12 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge*
10/14 – Dallas, TX @ Cambridge Room @ House of Blues Dallas*
10/15 – Austin, TX @ The Parish*
10/17 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Hell*
10/18 – Carrboro, NC @ Back Room @ Cat’s Cradle*
10/22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg*