Chicago indie-rock duo OK Cool—made up of longtime friends Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist Waller—have officially announced their debut album Chit Chat, arriving August 1st, 2025. The first single, “Waawooweewaa,” is out now alongside a music video by Roadhouse Productions. Clocking in with fuzzy riffs and no-nonsense energy, the track showcases the band’s most direct rock instincts yet.
“I wrote the demo in 2019 after a breakup,” says Stiebris. “It was a moment of reflection on past patterns. I’d also just watched Borat, which is why it has a dumb name—but humor helps me not take things too seriously.”
Chit Chat marks a major step forward for OK Cool, following a string of well-received EPs, including 2023’s fawn, which earned praise from Stereogum, Audiotree, and more. Where earlier songs often wrapped up in under two minutes, this 10-track LP embraces more spacious structures without losing the duo’s tightly wound, melodic core.
“This time, I wanted to explore the idea of letting a song breathe,” Stiebris explains. “To tell a story and feel confident taking up space.”
Written, performed, and produced entirely by the duo, the album captures their deep creative synergy. “We love keeping things minimal—just the two of us bouncing ideas around,” Blomquist adds. “Even though our influences differ, we’re always aligned when it comes to the songwriting.”
The record spans a range of moods—from hook-filled rockers like “Fading Out Forever” to shoegazey textures on “Splitting,” to introspective piano-led moments like “Loop.” Friends Josh Kayne and Tommy Kessler join on drums and guitar for live shows.
Ultimately, Chit Chat is a meditation on communication—between people, within friendships, and across time. “It’s about how we talk, how we don’t, and what gets left unsaid,” says Stiebris.
Catch OK Cool live at their hometown release show at Chicago’s Subterranean on August 14th. Tickets are on sale now.
