Soft Cuff have always sounded like a band following their own compass.

Formed in St. Petersburg, Florida in late 2023, the group grew out of a creative reunion between longtime friends Brian Schanck and Mikey Bostinto. What started as a shared love for cinematic groove and dusty psych-funk quickly evolved into a wider sound when guitarist Shane Schuch and multi-instrumentalist Tina Sanchez joined the fold. Together, they channel everything from vintage soul and hip-hop to swirling jazz and modern production.

Their newest release, ‘Dennis Quaalude (PTSD),’ is their most collaborative and emotionally direct work yet. Out July 15 on Funk Night Records, the track features a raw and compelling performance from rapper and vocalist 9henom. The result is a hypnotic blend of spoken urgency and hazy instrumental soul, somewhere between a late-night jazz session and a lost beat tape from the early 2000s.

Soft Cuff describe the song as a reflection on burnout, disillusionment, and the quiet pressure to change both inside and out. “This came from a place of exhaustion and desperation,” says 9henom. “There is a deep desire for change, not just in the systems that harm people but also in how we respond to them personally.” Michael Bostinto continues, “The recording process was very fluid. Every section has its own color, but everything still fits together. That balance really mattered to us.”

The accompanying video was shot entirely on 16mm film and pulls from a dreamlike palette of surreal imagery and offbeat visual cues. Influences range from David Lynch to Michel Gondry, with flashes of Soderbergh and Fincher’s more tactile work. It moves between dream states and mundane reality, offering a hazy portrait of modern life under pressure.

Over the past year and a half, Soft Cuff have steadily built momentum across Florida and beyond. They have opened for artists like Levitation Room and Adrian Younge, played to a sold-out hometown crowd for their album release, and nearly packed the house during their New York debut. Listeners often compare their sound to Khruangbin or BADBADNOTGOOD, but the band’s textured instrumentals and clear-eyed mood set them apart as something more singular.