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San Jose indie rock project The Albert Square shares "Doom Loop Dumpster Fire," the second single/video from their forthcoming sophomore album, I (Wish I Could) Talk To People., due September 18 via Asian Man Records.

"Doom Loop Dumpster Fire" confronts chronic depression, the fear of admitting you're not okay, and the panic that the feeling might never end. While the song captures the spiraling internal monologue of fear and doubt, it also finds hope in breaking that isolation. Songwriter Sim Castro, who has been open about his own experiences with anxiety and chronic depression, believes that naming those feelings (in this case, a “dumpster fire”), acknowledging them, and sharing the struggle can begin to loosen its emotional grip on a person’s psyche.

“I really do think being open, honest, and direct about depression helps to take the wind out of its sails, so to speak," says Castro. "'Doom Loop' is a song that says it’s okay to admit you’re ‘not okay,’ and every moment is another moment to try and take back that control. We’re all struggling through our various mental health issues but there’s collective healing and solidarity when we open up and let others into that story.”

As one of the album's most direct examinations of isolation, "Doom Loop Dumpster Fire" sits at the heart of I (Wish I Could) Talk To People. and its larger search for connection in the midst of loneliness. Across 14 songs, Castro finds meaning not through certainty or external salvation, but through the fragile, everyday act of continuing to show up for yourself and the people around you.

Tracked at Washateria Recordings in Portland, Oregon with longtime collaborator Henry Chadwick and mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Jeff Rosenstock) at The Atomic Garden in Oakland, I (Wish I Could) Talk To People. features a core lineup of Castro (guitar, vocals), Chadwick (drums), Evan Bailey (keys), and Benjamin Brackett (bass). Together, the quartet expands The Albert Square's melodic indie punk foundation across a sprawling record that moves between anxiety, isolation, dark humor, and the persistent desire for human connection.

I (Wish I Could) Talk To People. track listing:

1. If I could, I would…
2. Underpass
3. Choking to Death Alone in My Apartment
4. Bridges
5. It Takes a Genius
6. Nihilism Mile
7. Bless This Mess
8. Doom Loop Dumpster Fire
9. Waking Dream
10. Herald! The Taco Bell Prince!
11. White Knuckling
12. Uptown
13. Hold Your Breath
14. Talk to People.