Two brothers. Not related. As a growing staple in the North London scene, stepbrothers never fail to bring their chaotic energy to the stage and studio. Made up of Sam Orman and Armando Carlo IV, the duo fuses a wide breadth of influence, resulting in a genre-resistant approach that shifts between noisy, punk-leaning energy and stripped-back emotion. Handled entirely in their DIY recording space, from recording through to mixing and mastering, the band’s music carries a sincere naïveté reminiscent of Car Seat Headrest, Wilco, and of Montreal.
On their first release of 2026, “BONES + GRISTLE,” the unpredictable duo of Orman and Carlo set the tone for the rest of their year. The infectious experimentation of the band’s latest is an enticing introduction to the off-kilter prowess of these two, as they combine a painstaking attention to detail with a childlike whimsy. “BONES + GRISTLE” features the warmth of lo-fi, the density of garage rock, glistening, pop-tinted melodies, and psychedelic undertones, creating a fusion cacophony that becomes more layered with every listen. You can feel the duo’s DIY ethos permeating through their latest single, but don’t let the sonic antics distract you from the prowess at play on “BONES + GRISTLE.” The nuances in which this band produces music add such singular energy and colors to their imaginative take on rock that it is difficult to compare, and that’s exactly what the duo is aiming for. “BONES + GRISTLE” is the first preview of stepbrothers’ debut album, set to arrive in 2026.
