The world is finally catching up to a musical genius it never truly got to know. Years after his passing, STROIK, the enigmatic lo-fi pop visionary, is being celebrated with the release of his long-overdue debut album 65th and York — out now via Unfiltered Records and Caveman Arts Society.
The record is both a love letter and a lament, a portrait of an artist whose music shimmered between melancholy and euphoria. Across 65th and York, Stroik channels a rare tenderness, weaving fragile bedroom pop textures with celestial melodies that recall the intimacy of Elliott Smith, the DIY polish of Alex G, and the nostalgic warmth of Ivy.
“Stroik’s intimate lo-fi pop is masterful in the way it makes its imperfections a charming conduit for humanity’s myriad flaws,” wrote Magnet Magazine when the single “Wash and Repeat” debuted earlier this year.
The album features standout moments like the buoyant “Wash and Repeat”, the wistful opener “Desert Time”, and the newly released “La La La”, whose official video — directed by the late Joshua Stoddard (Red House Painters, Ivy, Fountains of Wayne) — captures Stroik’s gentle surrealism with a deeply emotional edge.
🎥 Watch “La La La” (Official Video): YouTube
🎧 Stream / Purchase 65th and York: Listen Here
Produced alongside Bruce Driscoll (Freedom Fry, Blondfire, Ivy) and Andy Chase (Ivy, Camera2), 65th and York feels like a dream unearthed from another era. It’s lo-fi pop at its most authentic and transcendent—melancholy melodies wrapped in cassette crackle and late-night introspection.
The story of Stroik doesn’t end with this release. His short film, Drew Stroik: Unknown Pop Wizard, has just been accepted into the Culver City Film Festival and recognized as a semi-finalist at the Dumbo Film Festival, ensuring his artistry will continue to resonate on screen and beyond.
🎬 Watch the “Unknown Pop Wizard” Documentary Trailer: YouTube
Why It Matters
65th and York isn’t just a record—it’s a resurrection. It’s a testament to the beauty of imperfection, the ache of unrealized potential, and the timelessness of raw emotion. For fans of The Postal Service, Youth Lagoon, and Sufjan Stevens, Stroik’s debut is a haunting discovery — and a reminder that true artistry never dies, it only waits to be found.