Gus Dapperton - 4 Dear Life

Holding on for dear life gives Gus Dapperton both a title and a mission on 4 Dear Life, his fourth studio album and a deliberate search for hope in rough weather.

The Warwick, New York songwriter first built his following on idiosyncratic bedroom pop, moving from Where Polly People Go to Read and Orca to the broader canvas of Henge in 2023. This 2026 record arrives after a stretch he admits left him furious about the state of the world, and part of his reset meant stepping back from the endless pull of social media. What comes out the other side is optimism chosen on purpose rather than by default.

That frustration finds its sharpest outlet in Queen, a pointed song about the tyranny of men that he paired with a self-directed video. Elsewhere the titles promise a looser, groovier mood, with Take Me Out To The Disco opening the set and PhD Rockstar flashing the dry wit that has always sat beneath his melodies. Twyla brings the album to a close.

Guest turns from Ledbyher, A-Trak, spill tab and hard life widen the circle without crowding the room. Pressed on a single LP, it plays like a pep talk from a friend who has been through the same mess and came out still smiling.