Remember the Humans — Broken Social Scene

It's like a warm hug from twenty of your most talented, slightly sad friends.

A weary but hopeful embrace of the past, delivered through shimmering layers of sound.

Remember the Humans (2026) represents a mature pivot for the Toronto-based collective Broken Social Scene. Arriving years after their initial explosion onto the indie scene, the album trades the frantic 'kitchen-sink' production of their early work for a more cohesive, atmospheric sound. Recorded with a core group of longtime members, the album emphasizes the 'collective' aspect of their identity through dense vocal layering and symbiotic instrumental interplay. Sonically, the record leans heavily into chamber pop and post-rock influences, with tracks like 'This Briefest Kiss' showcasing their ability to sustain long-form tension. Critical reception has highlighted the album's thematic focus on digital-era isolation and the preservation of human touch, positioning it as a spiritual successor to 'You Forgot It in People' but with a more somber, autumnal perspective. It stands as a testament to the band's longevity and their ability to evolve without losing the shimmering, brass-led soul that defined their career.

Put this on for

City lights blurring through a taxi window while heading home alone That specific quiet after a house party when only three people remain Sun dipping below the skyline, casting long shadows across the park Old photo albums spread across the floor on a Sunday afternoon Empty parking lot under buzzing orange streetlights at 2am First cold morning of the year requiring a heavy coat Headphones on, ignoring the morning commute crowd to feel human

Moments worth waiting for

The way the brass section slowly swells to overtake the guitars during the final two minutes of And I Think of You.

The sudden transition from the frantic energy of Mission Accomplished into the skeletal, intimate opening of The Call.

The layered vocal harmonies on Parking Lot Dreams that feel like a choir recorded from the next room over.

Sounds like

2026s production with a 2020s soul

Sits beside

Sky Blue Sky - Wilco, The National - Trouble Will Find Me, Lost in the Dream - The War on Drugs, Microcastle - Deerhunter

Lyrical territory

nostalgia, love_lost, existential