The Paris-based shoegaze outfit explore guilt, heartbreak and self-forgiveness on their first new release since 2025's debut album, I think my life has been OK.
Paris-based indie rock band SCHØØL have returned with their new single “Somehow,” out now through Géographie. Arriving just over a year after their debut album, I think my life has been OK, the track continues the group's exploration of melancholy, nostalgia and emotionally charged guitar music.
Written by frontman Francis Mallari in the aftermath of a breakup, “Somehow” examines the complicated feelings that follow the end of a relationship, particularly guilt and the struggle to forgive yourself.
The song builds on themes of acceptance introduced throughout the band's debut, suggesting that moving forward often requires confronting uncomfortable emotions rather than simply leaving them behind.
Musically, SCHØØL continue to draw from a broad range of '90s alternative influences, blending shoegaze textures with elements of grunge, Britpop and baggy rock. The result reflects the band's affection for an era when hazy guitars, loose rhythms and melodic songwriting frequently overlapped.
Formed in Paris in autumn 2023, SCHØØL began as a collaboration between musicians already active in the city's independent music scene. Alongside Mallari, who also fronts Rendez-Vous, the lineup features Franco-American bassist Erica Ashleson of Special Friend, Dog Park and Eggs, Australian guitarist Jack Moase of Liquid Face, and drummer Alex Battez of Marble Arch.
The group's shared appreciation for bands such as Swirlies and Drop Nineteens helped establish their sound, with the members setting out to create the kind of band they had imagined playing in during their teenage years.
Following the release of their early single “N.S.M.L.Y.D.,” SCHØØL built momentum toward their debut album, I think my life has been OK, released September 5, 2025.