Gash Release New Single, "data master," From New Album Out September 25th via Angel Tapes / Fire Talk
Today, gash — the Eau, Claire experimentalists praised by Pigeons & Planes, Alternative Press, The Line of Best Fit, and more — present “data master,” the new single/video from their forthcoming album, at least you know what you’re laughing at, out September 25th via Angel Tapes / Fire Talk. Known for their confrontational live sets & mercurial recorded music, gash present their take on traditional song structure on "data master." Centered around electronic flourishes and processed vocals, "data master" and its several detours present a thrilling glimpse at gash's singular yet slippery sound.
at least you know what you’re laughing at presents the most holistic version of gash, following years of sporadic releases that act as compilations of the band’s loose artifacts. Unlike those predecessors, at least you know what you’re laughing at began mainly as digital compositions, a stumbled-upon sample giving way to a guitar lick then uploaded to Google Drive and mulled over by the entire band. Workshopped following a 2025 self-booked tour, gash’s first outing in their current formation, at least you know what you’re laughing at is marked by a newfound ease that emanates through each track. Anchored by Nyberg’s honed confidence as a producer, as well as the years spent as friends and loose collaborators in the Eau Claire scene, at least you know what you’re laughing at commands its space with unflinching precision. The result is a real-time snapshot at “the new gash,” straddling digital textures and noise-rock impulses from post-hardcore howls to tender indie twinkles.
Watch gash's "data master" Video
gash began as an outlet for Nyberg (guitar/vocals/production), his Wisconsin homecoming following a brief stint in California. Alongside longtime friends Mitchell Smuhl (guitar) and Eric Simmons (drums), gash formed in the late 2010s against the grain of midwest impulses toward acoustic sentimentalism. Instead, gash opt to explore the emotions formed across sweaty basement shows. Through countless performances — often at Nyberg’s own home DIY venue — gash garnered a reputation for cathartic underground sets, and gathered a crew of appreciators turned bandmates along the way. “I was like ‘Damn, you brought all these crazy people here?! Shit..,” Breckelle Bathke (vocals/guitar/percussion) jokes of her time as a gash fan, through which she developed her relationship with the band by volunteering her talents as a visual artist for gash cover artwork and fliers. Bathke joined gash properly in 2025, following years recording band vocals on the low. Completing the gash band is Ricky Christensen (bass/keys), who joined in 2020 through similar fashion: attending and playing gigs at Nyberg’s house.
For gash, the immutable reactions to parsing through pain over time is essential, and the band situates the album among environments in which listeners have the space to sit with their thoughts. A solo camping trip, a drive along the Chippewa River, a bike ride as the seasons change. “Nature is fire, it’s kind of giving rebirth for me, it’s like...” Bathke trails as Nyberg completes: “It’s like change.”
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