Toilet Rats: Black Cats (Translucent Green Cassette)

Minneapolis's Toilet Rats has spent five years building one of DIY post-punk's most unpretentious and energetic catalogs, and Black Cats keeps that streak going. Fourteen tracks, roughly 30 minutes, and a wider sonic palette than anything they've done before: 80s college rock moodiness sits alongside punk burners and new wave numbers without any of it feeling forced.

The record was written during a rough stretch, and that tension shows up in the songwriting. "Shimmy,"  mixed by Sean O'Keefe, is about recovering from serious illness and finding your way back to the dance floor. "HEART EMOJI MPLS" is a community thank-you to Minneapolis during a hard period for the community early 2026. Contributions from Adam Goren (Atom and His Package), Andrew Cahak (Unstable Shapes), and saxophonist Daryk Narum add texture throughout. Co-released by Steadfast Records and Sweet Cheetah Records.

Format: Translucent Green Cassette

Recommended if you like Vision Video, Home Front, The Cure, New Order, The Spits