Hyperspace Shoots for the Stars with Pop Punk Odyssey 'Distant Signals'

Atlanta-based trio Hyperspace has been a staple of the Southeast’s underground rock scene for over a decade, fusing pop-punk energy with unapologetically nerdy references. With their fifth studio album, Distant Signals, the band pushes their sound further than ever before, creating a collection of songs that celebrates fandom while grounding it in raw emotion and alt-rock grit.

The record features eleven tracks that are as eclectic as they are cohesive, each reflecting the band’s signature blend of sci-fi, humor, and heartfelt honesty. True to form, Hyperspace leans into their love of geek culture, with nods to space aliens, Star Wars, and even time-traveling robots. Yet beneath the fandom lies something more universal: Distant Signals explores disillusionment, fractured relationships, and the messy side of being human.

The opening track, “Let’s Go,” wastes no time setting the tone, a high-energy, adrenaline-fueled anthem built for sweaty venues and singalong crowds. From there, “Hopes & Chains” introduces a more reflective side, tackling the struggle between ambition and self-doubt. “Be the One” leans into vulnerability, pairing soaring hooks with raw emotion, while “Come Away With Me” feels like an escapist dream, a moment of lightness in the chaos.

Midway through the album, “I’ll Be Back” delivers tongue-in-cheek fun with a time-travel twist, a perfect example of Hyperspace’s ability to balance humor with tight songwriting. “Those Words” turns the focus inward, exploring the fallout of miscommunication in relationships. “Valentina” brings cinematic storytelling into the mix, while “She Said” taps into classic pop-punk sensibilities with undeniable urgency.

Closing out the record, “I Wanna Believe” channels the band’s love of sci-fi directly into sound, echoing themes of wonder and longing. “Rebel Girl” takes a sharp turn into punk defiance, and the final track, “1989,” blends nostalgia with grit, a fitting closer that nods to Hyperspace’s earliest influences while pushing their music into the future.

Behind the scenes, the band teamed up with Joey Jones (Royal Thunder, Spines, The Pinx) at Aria Recording Studio to capture their vision. Mixing by SAW (Echo Machine, Carla Easton) adds clarity and dimension, while mastering from Will Borza (Andrew W.K., Tenacious D, Deftones) ties it together with a polished edge that never sacrifices raw energy.

With Distant Signals, Hyperspace has crafted their most fully realized work to date, a love letter to the bands and stories that shaped them, but also a deeply personal record that captures where they are now. For longtime fans, the driving riffs and sharp choruses will feel like home. For newcomers, the blend of nerd culture, sincerity, and alt-rock ambition is an irresistible entry point.

As Hyperspace gears up for an East Coast tour in early 2026, Distant Signals cements their reputation as a band unafraid to have fun while wearing their hearts on their sleeves. It’s loud, it’s nerdy, and it’s unapologetically Hyperspace.

Distant Signals blends nerd culture with raw emotional themes. How do you balance humor and honesty in your songwriting?

JASON: The short answer is write about what you know. The pandemic made us all face things we didn't know or were prepared for. There was a lot of downtime during the shutdowns, and that brought out reflections and also inspiration for me. Typically, the music or guitar riff comes first, and then I try to add lyrics afterwards. On this album, a song might be inspired by one lyric or the mood of the music. Kayvan said he wanted to write a song about the Terminator franchise, so I tried to create lyrics that fit that over a song we wrote during the pandemic when we practiced virtually in our separate houses. This idea turned into the song "I'll Be Back." Another example would be when we toured the southeast a year or so ago, in the van, we listened to a lot of podcasts about UFOs and Area 51, so those themes came in handy when we wrote "I Wanna Believe."

KAYVAN: I always like to say that the song should "go where it wants to go." What I mean by that is to let ideas come naturally, trust your instincts, and be unafraid to try different things - especially if you hear a certain sound in your head. I love a great riff, so I tend to pick up the guitar or bass and apply whatever idea to the fretboard. Usually, I have an overall theme in mind for a song, but lyrics come a bit later. I guess humor isn't something I really consider too much, although I did think it would be funny for Han Solo to smack-talk Jabba and Boba Fett and sing about loving his rebel girl, Leia. "Rebel Girl" came from that; thankfully, aside from the Han idea, which was scrapped, Jason delivered something better.

This record was a true collaboration between all three band members. How did that change the creative process?

JASON: In the past, I wrote the majority of the songs and lyrics, but slowly over time, we have transitioned to the other guys contributing ideas. This time around, I was pretty much out of song ideas, so we just started jamming and messing around in between songs at practice. Sometimes we were able to take these ideas and turn them into songs. Kayvan brought a few songs to us as well, like "Valentina" and "Rebel Girl". We all ended up contributing to the songwriting. On the album, Kayvan played guitar on a number of tracks, and even Ryan added guitar to a song. We also all added keyboards and other sounds / percussion throughout the album.

RYAN: Once Jason was out of songs, during practice, all three of us either started improvising to see what clicked, or someone would bring a unique, distinctive riff (or in my case, a drum beat) that sparked creativity. At this time, I was listening to  Off With Their Heads, Royal Blood, Phoenix, Sugarcult, Smashing Pumpkins, The Killers, and The Offspring. Where I feel the creative process was truly unique for this album is after the drum tracks were recorded, we'd individually spend time with Joey at his studio to listen to each bandmate's added layer of progress. An indescribable, electric excitement surged through me whenever I headed to his studio. Adding tweaks to some synth tracks, laying backing vocals both low and high, and even contributing a few guitar tracks, it can be best described as a painter starting with a blank canvas, and as the layers are added, it just comes alive, revealing depth and emotion that wasn't there before.

KAYVAN: I always have ideas I'm working on and will sometimes share demo recordings. Sometimes things are very close to what was originally shared, but I feel the most interesting and most impactful songs are the ones that came together from each of us contributing. As Jason and Ryan mentioned, improvising would yield results. Jason might play something on guitar, and we'd ask what that was and to repeat it and go from there. Sometimes Ryan will have an interesting beat he's playing around with; for example, songs like "I'll Be Back," "Those Words," and "1989" were built upon those kinds of beats. "Come Away With Me" and "Hopes & Chains" almost didn't happen, but we would collectively refine things until they felt better. We would all make suggestions, regardless of the instrument; for example, I'm not a drummer at all, but I would pound something out to express an idea to Ryan. I think each of us definitely left our imprint on the songs, through our various influences, thoughts, and suggestions.

“1989” feels like a nostalgic anthem. What inspired this track specifically?

JASON: "1989" started when Ryan entered the practice space one day and said he wanted to have a consistent drum part throughout a song like the Smashing Pumpkins song "1979." He joked that we could call it "1989." The lyrics were inspired by the title of the song and all the events that happened in 1989. The Berlin Wall coming down, Gameboy, Richard Marx "Right Here Waiting", the Batman movie, Nirvana "Bleach", The Cure "Disintegration", The Pixies, Paul's Boutique, etc. This song is definitely something different for us. I actually played keyboards on this song too- which is a first for us. The main theme of the song is about the video game Tetris, but I also mixed in a little summer romance vibe as well.

RYAN: Like Jason said, it first started with me wanting something repetitive, catchy, yet simple like Smashing Pumpkins' "1979".  Bizarrely enough, when writing that song, an equal part of the drumming inspiration also came from a Cadillac commercial, with Phoenix's song "1901".

KAYVAN: I had an entirely different approach than Jason or Ryan for sure! I was never really that into Smashing Pumpkins, but the song centered on Ryan's beats. The drums especially made it feel really big-sounding and driving; I wanted to maintain that vibe and not clutter the song with a busy bassline. I had been listening to a lot of The Cure and Joy Division; the end result was kind of a pulsing verse bassline a bit like Simon Gallup, while in the chorus I'm hybrid picking and playing higher notes akin to Peter Hook. I kept thinking about all the great, big-sounding songs from the 80s, too, so I suggested it might be fun if we had some synth and to make some of the drums sound like an old Linndrum drum machine or something like Prince's "When Doves Cry." It's definitely a different sound for us, but it came together in a natural way.

You worked with Joey Jones, SAW, and Will Borza on the album. How did their contributions shape the final sound?

RYAN: Joey really adds unexplainable zen when you record with him. He's also a living, breathing IMDb database for both film and music. It also helps that he's extremely meticulous when it comes to recording drums. SAW infuses a frenetic energy that's literally tangible even through email exchanges. His mixing style perfectly captures what we loved about the music we listened to from the '90s and early 2000s. Will's mastering approach is the final sonic touch that elevates Hyperspace's audio quality to new heights.

JASON: I agree with Ryan, we were so excited to work with Joey Jones again, he recorded our "Delusions of Grandeur" album as well. Joey really helped us get the sounds and vibes we were looking for. We'd tell him our thoughts about vibes and moods for songs, and we worked closely with him on how to achieve those sounds. Saw added more energy in the mixing stage, and Will added the mastering icing and shine on top of the cake.

KAYVAN: This was actually my first time working with Joey, but his recording technique and skill behind the desk are impeccable. I was particularly impressed with the initial raw sound he achieved with the drums alone. Joey had a lot of great suggestions, and I think his knowledge and abilities really helped the record take shape. Now, SAW, I did know from the previous record, and he always continues to amaze and impress. He began the mixing process with an overall baseline sound and then adjusted things as we went. Beyond having incredible patience with us nitpicking over every sound and noise, SAW was also unafraid to try completely different things and was always enthusiastic. Will Borza also did our last record and did a fine mastering job for both digital and vinyl releases.

What can fans expect from your upcoming East Coast tour in 2026?

JASON: We always try to put on a fun and energetic show. Fans can expect to hear a lot of the new material. We are hoping to hit all the major cities from Charlotte to New York to Boston and back again.

KAYVAN: We always strive to give our best at every show, so hopefully, it will be a great experience with some great songs.

RYAN: Plenty of Tiger Balm and Tylenol, that's for sure!