Once a legendary name in L.A.’s DIY punk scene, The Mae Shi dissolved in 2009 after their beloved concept album HLLLYH—a frantic, spiritual blast of art-punk energy. Now, over a decade later, founding member Tim Byron has revived the spirit of that band under a new name: HLLLYH, with a debut album titled URUBURU, landing June 27 via Team Shi.
Originally planned as the final Mae Shi record, URUBURU mutated into something else entirely. It’s a maximalist, genre-hopping concept album about ecological collapse, spiritual transcendence, and punk house party chaos. It’s written in English, Morse code, and machine language—and somehow still wildly fun.
The first single, “Dead Clade,” roars with anthemic, synth-scorched bombast, drawn from long-lost demos dating back to 2009. It arrives alongside a cover of The The’s “This Is the Day” as a B-side and a brain-bending video available now on YouTube.
The band’s current lineup includes OG members Tim Byron, Jeff Byron, Ezra Buchla, Brad Breeck, and Corey Fogel, with new members Dan Chao, James Baker, and Burt Hashiguchi joining since URUBURU was completed. They played their debut show with Brainiac this January at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco.
URUBURU is the first installment of a sprawling new universe that started as a final bow and became a bold new beginning.
HLLLYH is glad you’re alive.
