Hannah Cole - Switchbacks

“Shoegaze fans, indie lovers, and even metalheads will find something to love in ‘MMA,’ a hot-blooded introduction to Cole’s fine-tuned approach.” – Consequence

“’MMA’ is rooted in sandpaper guitars and cement-heavy drums. The song has a grittiness that recalls ’90s shoegaze, while Cole’s vocals are on the brighter side… The lyrics are blood-stained and title-hungry, with reference to MMA fighting’s gruesomeness.” – Stereogum

“Nashville-based artist Hannah Cole makes crunchy, chewy indie rock that is grungy and poppy in a mid-’90s way.” – Brooklyn Vegan

Cole began writing songs and singing at six years old, despite the fact that there wasn’t much of a music scene in her hometown of Covington, Louisiana. After moving to Nashville in 2019 for school, she was exposed to new sounds and possibilities – and given the permission to dream big. Switchbacks, the follow-up to two EPs Glisten (2024) and Big Bite (2023), is a marked step in Cole’s development, showcasing the unique blend of style and technique that drew the attention of new independent label Tight Knit Records. Cole and her longtime collaborator and partner Josef Kuhn recorded the album in their home studio between 2024 and 2025, playing nearly every instrument themselves. Aided by mixer Sonny Diperri (American Football, Wisp, Julie), the album features a much wider and denser sonic palette than Cole’s previous releases, with massive, cathartic splashes of sound that were constructed with the live show in mind.

Across Switchbacks’s ten tracks, Cole melds shoegaze and alternative rock with infectious pop melodies and strains of 90s nostalgia. Like her local music kin Bully and Soccer Mommy, Cole found a way to merge a taste for her heavier sounds with a studied sense of songwriting craftsmanship, juxtaposing the sting of distorted guitar with cool, honey-sweet vocals and punchy melodic hooks.  Switchbacks is not only a finely-crafted debut album but also a deeply human artifact, tracing an arc that blazes like a comet to the height of ambition and then leaves you in the shimmer of self-acceptance and contentment. “Success is a moment that comes and goes,” she concludes, “but I think the joy and experience that comes with making music is something I can take with me forever.”

In support of the album, Cole will play headlining shows this fall. See tour dates HERE and contact us with any requests!