It has been a while since Halifax-born, Vancouver or Ottawa-based(?) producer and musician Ryan Hemsworth released a new album, with his last full-length project, Elsewhere, arriving back in 2018.
Now, after an eight-year wait, Hemsworth is finally back with not one, but two new singles: “One Step” and “A Display of Emotion.”
Both tracks are taken from his upcoming album Numbskull, which arrives October 21, 2026 via Topshelf Records.
The two singles offer a great introduction to what Hemsworth has been working on during his time away, with each track exploring a distinctly different side of his electronic sound.
“One Step,” which arrives alongside a music video, immediately feels like classic Ryan Hemsworth territory.
The track blends hip-hop influences with electro-clash, glitchy production and a dancefloor-ready pulse.
It is crunchy, unpredictable and packed with the kind of warped electronic textures that have long been part of Hemsworth’s sonic vocabulary.
Hemsworth says the track was inspired by old Three 6 Mafia tapes and crunchy ’90s UK rave music.
He originally imagined the production working with a rapper, but after connecting with Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties, he sent her the track on a whim. Her contribution ultimately helped shape his approach to collaboration on Numbskull: giving artists unexpected “wild cards” rather than simply sending them something that naturally fits their existing sound.
If “One Step” is the chaotic and club-ready side of Hemsworth, “A Display of Emotion” takes a much more cathartic and dreamy route.
Built around melancholic guitar, bass and hazy electronic production, the song has a bittersweet electro-pop quality that feels both intimate and expansive. There is a beautiful tension between the sadness of the guitar and the physical weight of the bass, creating something that can feel emotional while still carrying enough low-end punch to shake the trunk.
Hemsworth describes “A Display of Emotion” as finding his ideal balance between sad guitar and bass, and that contrast is exactly what makes the track work.
It is dreamy without becoming overly delicate, and emotional without losing its electronic edge.
Taken together, “One Step” and “A Display of Emotion” make for an intriguing return. One is glitchy, frenetic and rooted in hip-hop and rave influences, while the other is melancholic, dreamy and guitar-driven. Rather than simply recreating the Ryan Hemsworth sound of the past, these singles suggest an artist using his familiar electronic palette while pushing it into new and more personal territory.
After eight years away, Numbskull is shaping up to be a fascinating next chapter for Ryan Hemsworth.
One Step and A Display of Emotion gets: 📷📷📷📷📷📷📷📷/10.
Ryan Hemsworth Returns With New Singles “One Step” and “A Display of Emotion”
