a cathartic reflection on burnout, resilience, and the quiet strength of starting over

snorkeler’s stunning debut ep ‘no power’ captures the sound of emotional exhaustion turned into something life-affirming. led by curtis heimburger, formerly of mom rock, the three-track release (slow burn, broken people, it’s so hopeless) mixes the anxious pulse of modern indie rock with the sharp self-awareness of someone learning to survive chaos.

recorded while curtis’s life was in flux – between band breakups, visa waits, and depression – no power feels like both a confession and a catharsis. standout single it’s so hopeless hits hardest: a “depressing celebration,” as he calls it, where frustration becomes communal release. it’s a song for anyone stuck fighting the tide but refusing to quit.

sonically, snorkeler’s sound nods to talking heads, phoenix, and djo, weaving elastic grooves with bittersweet melodies. it’s smart, self-aware, and emotionally raw – proof that even in your lowest moments, creation can still move things forward. so when we caught up with snorkeler about the ep, it already felt like an artist beginning to rise beautifully from the wreckage.

you’ve described “it’s so hopeless” as a “depressing celebration.” how do you translate that paradox – joy and despair coexisting – into your songwriting and sound?

When everything was seemingly crumbling down around me in my life, it was impossible not to write about. But these feelings and emotions deserve to be screamed just as much as “I feel good” or “I love you”. I’m a big advocate for dancing the pain away so I want to give people the chance to do that. The music I tend to write is mostly upbeat and high energy and whatever I’m feeling at the time is going to be sung over top of that. Everyone has a low point or rock bottom in their life, so if you’re going to start somewhere it might as well be there.

the “no power” ep was born out of a year where you felt life was out of control. how did creating these songs help you process that feeling or regain a sense of agency?

Almost everything I write is a diary entry of sorts. When I start a song I don’t usually have an idea of what I’ll be writing about and it isn’t until the first verse or chorus is down that I realize what my subconscious is trying to get out. Its extremely cathartic and really helps me move past whatever it is I’m going though at the time. Creating these songs also allowed me to move past the break up of my last band and move into the next chapter of my life. If anything, it’s just nice to know everything that goes wrong, is worth it for a good song.

Have you ever been snorkeling?

Yes. Once on a family vacation to Hawaii when I was very young, I was snorkeling with my sister and dad. I got distracted by a sea turtle and got separated from them, trying to befriend this beautiful creature. After a couple minutes I realized I didn’t know where my family was and poked my head out of the water. Not only had I gotten separated, but the turtle had led me towards a stretch of sharp jagged rocks that the waves were crashing up against. I don’t think I would’ve died had I not snapped out of the mammals spell, but I do think that fucker was trying to kill me.

you’ve cited influences like talking heads, djo, and chappell roan. what aspects of their artistry do you find most inspiring, and how do you channel that without losing your own identity?

Talking Heads, and David Byrne for that matter, have been one of my biggest inspirations ever since watching Stop Making Sense in my college dorm room. It taught me how I wanted to perform and how little you actually need to make a live show great. Djo and Chappell Roan both have great pop sensibilities that resonate with me and have found their way into my writing whether it’s the melodies I sing or the chord progressions I use.

All 3 of these of artists have 1 thing in common though, and it’s that they have fun with their art. Whether it’s what they wear, how they move on stage, or what they write in certain songs, I’m drawn to their playfulness. I think taking yourself too seriously is a losing battle and ultimately kills your creativity. When you listen to my music I want you to be able to tell there’s a human in there.

you’ve written, recorded, and produced everything yourself up to this point. what has that independence taught you – both creatively and personally?

It’s taught me where my strengths are and where I need to ask for help. Creatively I do my best work in the morning to afternoon, alone, in my home studio which is currently in the garage. I feel that treating it like a 9-5 job, without the soul crushing part, helps me lock in. When it comes to recording parts, I can be a perfectionist and will record something endlessly until I deem it perfect. Which no one deserves to sit through. During this writing/recording process,

I’m also making production decisions like guitar tones, vocal style, and the instrumental parts that’ll float on top of the song. At this point, once I feel the song is finished, I’ll hand it off to my mix engineer for him to make it actually sound good. I really enjoy giving it to someone else whose vision I trust. For this EP and many more songs to come, I’ve had the wonderful Sean O’Keefe (Beach Bunny, Fall Out Boy, Motion City Soundtrack) as my number 1. I love what he does to the songs and really any music he touches.

you mention that snorkeler began after your old band ended and during a big personal transition. how did that reset shape the vision and sound of snorkeler as a project?

One of the biggest changes was how I wrote. Before, I would just sit alone in a room with an electric or acoustic guitar. Strumming out chords and writing down words in a journal. The songs had to work by themselves just as much as when they were played with a 3 piece band. When I started writing new material for Snorkeler, I was writing and recording everything at the same time. Instead of just focusing on the chords, I was also writing the bass parts, programming drums, and playing hooks.

Besides that though, I grew up a lot in the last year. I learned what I want in a band and the people I want to surround myself with. My band members which include my wife, have been relentlessly supportive and I truly could not have gotten back on my feet without them.

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huge thanks to snorkeler for sharing. check out the incredible EP here 💫