South Florida alternative rock project cut the cord.—the creation of songwriter Dylan Samaniego—is built on one core premise: sometimes the hardest thing you'll ever do is let go. Born out of a meditation exercise during one of Samaniego's lowest points, the project tackles the painful process of detaching from toxic people, destructive habits, and bad mental patterns to step into who you're truly meant to be.
Recorded at South Florida's Boardwalk Studios with producers Jacob Bates (Dirty Rivals) and Bryan Kuznitz (Fame on Fire), cut the cord.'s debut EP, blush., traces the heavy emotional wake of an unhealthy relationship across four interconnected tracks. The record opens with "(ctc.)," a spoken-word piece recorded by Samaniego’s actual therapist, grounding the entire project in authentic mental health awareness. From there, the EP moves through the raw frustration of the title track "blush.," the bittersweet nostalgia of "10th Avenue North," and the cathartic release of "BENT!"
The lead title track, "blush.," stands as the oldest song on the record and a personal favourite of Samaniego's. Dealing directly with the frustration of an ex-partner who struggled with communication and alcohol, the song vents the helpless feeling of being labeled selfish just for setting boundaries. Fusing the urgent energy of pop-punk and alternative rock with a growth-focused mindset, "blush." delivers a rock-solid, energetic performance paired with an insanely catchy hook and a very cool accompanying music video. Complemented onstage by stark visuals and hand-painted clothing, cut the cord. offers an emotionally charged, highly enjoyable ride through losing yourself and finally finding your way back.