For years, Strange Case have existed in the fertile overlap of Southern California surf culture, punk grit, and DIY rock ambition — a band shaped as much by skate videos and garage shows as by radio dreams. With their new single “HBK,” the longtime collaborators feel like they’ve finally distilled everything they love into one sharp, undeniable track.
“It’s kind of a culmination of all the genres we’ve been trying to write over the years,” vocalist Mikey says. “This song is really a blend — it’s just as much surf rock as it is rock and roll, and just as much rock and roll as it is almost hip-hop.”
That balance didn’t come easily. For much of their early career, Strange Case experimented restlessly, pushing in multiple directions at once. But a new collaborative writing process — where each band member brought ideas to the table — changed everything. “This was one of the first songs that came out of it,” Mikey explains. “We were all just like, ‘Wow, this is definitely one of the best things we’ve ever written.’”
Road-testing “HBK” sealed the deal. On tour, fans and even jaded sound engineers kept asking about the song — a rare reaction Zane says they couldn’t ignore. “We even had sound guys asking us what the song was,” he recalls. “That never happens. They see a million bands. So we were like, ‘Alright — let’s trust what people are telling us.’”
The track was recorded with producer Jon Joseph, whose raw, live-first approach proved crucial. “He just mics everyone up and lets them jam,” Zane says. “It’s loosey-goosey with all the human mistakes that he chooses to keep in of our performances that make them feel human.”
That human element has always been central to Strange Case — not just in their music, but in their ethos. Alongside Jacob’s Castle and Strawberry Fuzz, the band helped form SVN/BVRNT Records, a community-first collective built on shared vans, shared stages, and mutual support. “We just want good people around us who all want the same thing,” Zane says. “Make awesome music, have a fun time playing it, and enjoy life together.”
For a band that once self-produced songs in a garage, “HBK” feels like both a breakthrough and a statement of intent. “We love the song,” Zane says simply. “At the end of the day, that’s what matters.”
With momentum building and a new wave of releases on the horizon, Strange Case aren’t just chasing their moment — they’re creating the scene they always wanted to belong to.
Watch the full interview with Strange Case Below!