Surf Curse

Emerging from Nevada as a raw yet tuneful pair centered on guitar and drums, Surf Curse eventually embedded themselves in Los Angeles’ self-organized garage and punk circles. They aligned with the independently run Danger Collective label, which issued Nothing Yet in 2017 and Heaven Surrounds You in 2019. An earlier track, “Freaks,” suddenly surged online years after its release, prompting a deal with Atlantic that delivered the band’s fourth album, Magic Hour, in 2022.

Drummer and singer Nick Rattigan partnered with guitarist Jacob Rubeck to start Surf Curse in Reno during 2013; their debut Buds appeared that June. The Sad Boys EP followed in October, after which the duo moved to Los Angeles and began integrating into the city’s grassroots scene. By 2017 they resurfaced through Danger Collective with Nothing Yet, a step beyond the straightforward approach of their first record that introduced broader tones and more layered arrangements. That direction continued on Heaven Surrounds You, the 2019 album shaped by Rattigan and Rubeck’s preferred cult films.

In 2021 the 2013 song “Freaks” spread rapidly across TikTok. Atlantic signed the band, reissued the track, and watched its streaming figures climb sharply. Early 2022 singles “Sugar” and “TVI” previewed the refreshed style that filled Magic Hour, released that September.