UK alternative quartet Static Dress open up a raw, visceral new era; announcing their signing to Sumerian Records with a brand new single, ‘human props’.

A direct but no-less ambitious opening statement for 2026, ‘human props’ is a sledgehammer of emotion from one of contemporary rock’s most multifaceted acts. Taking the no-holds-barred aggression of their heavier work and fusing it with the irresistible songcraft of the band’s soaring melodics, ‘human props’ finds Static Dress creating the perfect hybrid of their sound’s opposing facets and presenting it through an unfiltered lens. An outright rejection of the polished, studio-based sleight of hand that has permeated contemporary metal in recent years, the track replicates the band’s devastating live energy; placing the listener directly in a whirlpool of relentlessly jagged guitar work, momentum-shifting percussion and a low-end heavy anchor, challenging them to let it sweep them away for the track’s 3 min 56 second runtime. A masterclass in sustain and release songwriting, ‘human props’ is innovative, singular post-hardcore from a band who continue to find new ways to subvert expectations.

The track’s self-directed visual finds the band delving deeper into theatricality than ever before. Performing in a grand hall, Static Dress soundtrack the journey of otherworldly twins as they are famed and adored for their uniqueness. That adoration takes a darker turn as it begins to turn oppressive, exposing a new chapter, characters and creatures in the ever-unravelling thematic world of Static Dress.

With ‘human props’, Static Dress show that in today’s “constantly-scrolling culture”, where art is something to be “liked” rather than appreciated, the most subversive thing you can do is present your truth in raw, unflinching and real fashion. There is, after all, nothing more imaginative and complex than undiluted human emotion. There are very few bands who can offer that emotion through their art with such visceral detail, which is just another reason why Static Dress are one of the most uniquely engaging bands in contemporary alternative music today.