If You Like Your Jams Sharp, A Bit Awkward, And Totally Unimpressed, Start Here

Song of the Day: “Hedgesitting” by Cola

Aug 17, 2026

Cola has spent the better part of their five year tenure perfecting the art of the angular, nervous breakdown set to a steady, rhythmic pulse. Emerging in 2021 from the ashes of Ought, the band initially seemed determined to prove that they could maintain the same level of intellectual restlessness without the baggage of their previous project. Their trajectory has been one of constant, careful pruning; they’ve spent the last few years stripping away the excess until only the bare, taut bones of their songs remained. It was a bold aesthetic choice, but it has undeniably carved them a niche as the thinking person’s soundtrack for staring blankly at a cubicle wall with ennui eyes. It’s a natural progression for a band that clearly spent enough time in the studio to realize that if you squint hard enough, “minimalist tension” can actually be fun.

Cost Of Living Adjustment arrived on May 8, 2026 as the sound of a band finally loosening their collar. While earlier records felt like they were holding their breath, waiting for someone to point out that post-punk requires more than just sharp guitar lines and a furrowed brow, this album feels significantly more comfortable in its own skin. The production is a bit more polished, the edges are slightly rounded off, and there is a surprising amount of swagger tucked away behind the usual deadpan delivery. Cost Of Living Adjustment isn’t going to solve the housing crisis or your personal issues, but it’s smart, it’s sharp, and it’s refreshingly aware that, at the end of the day, it’s just rock music.

For me, track two “Hedgesitting” is the high point of the record—if only because it manages to turn total apathy into an anthem… with a killer beat. While the rest of the album flirts with traditional song structures, this track fully commits to the feeling of being completely unbothered by the world around you. The guitar riff is jagged enough to prick your finger, yet catchy enough to get stuck in your head, and the lyrics perfectly articulate that specific, hollow sensation of existing in the world while wanting absolutely nothing to do with it. It stands out because it doesn’t try too hard; it just exists, content to watch the world go by from the vantage point of a garden shrub, making it the most relatable, snarky, and weirdly infectious thing they’ve recorded to date.