Annie Schultz shares a tense, hypnotic spiral on new single “Search & Destroy” (Music Video) - 3 April 2026

Annie Schultz releases their single “Search and Destroy,” available April 3rd via Trailing Twelve Records.

Minnesota-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Annie Schultz returns with their new single “Search and Destroy,” out April 3, 2026 via Trailing Twelve Records. Following the stark introspection of their recent release “MIS,” Schultz shifts into more rhythmic territory, drawing on new wave textures, pulsing drum machines, and effect-drenched keyboards while maintaining the emotional directness that defines their songwriting.

Built around a steady pulse and anchored by electric bass and layered synthesizers, “Search and Destroy” blends undulating guitar with shimmering keyboard lines and processed drum machine patterns. The track nods to the sleek, artful pop sensibilities of artists like Roxy Music while retaining Schultz’s characteristically intimate vocal delivery.

Lyrically, the song examines the tension between intuition and inevitability — the uneasy sense that something destructive is already unfolding before it can be stopped. Repeating phrases like “You are his toy” and “Pay for the choice” circle the song’s central theme of manipulation and consequence, while the chant-like refrain “Search and destroy” gives the track a hypnotic urgency.

“‘Search and Destroy’ has gone through many recording iterations since I wrote it a few years ago,” Schultz explains. “I was listening to a lot of Prefab Sprout and Arthur Russell at the time of this recording, and I thought this version would make for a good canvas to lean into my new wave influences and experiment with running keyboards and drum machines through pedals and effects. My old bandmate from Olympia wrote and recorded a bassline for this version while visiting me in the Twin Cities, which felt really in line with my mission for this album to explore connections between different phases of my life.”

“Search and Destroy” continues Schultz’s evolution as both songwriter and sonic architect, expanding their palette beyond the folk-rooted arrangements of earlier work into a more electronic and textural landscape while retaining the stark emotional clarity that has earned praise from outlets including Wonderland, Under the Radar, Grimy Goods, METAL, Luna Collective, and CelebMix.

With its driving pulse, swirling keyboard treatments, and ominous lyrical refrain, “Search and Destroy” reveals another side of Annie Schultz’s restless musical curiosity.

“Search and Destroy” is out April 3, 2026 via Trailing Twelve on all platforms.

Watch the music video below.

Written and Performed by Annie Schultz
Annie Schultz: vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
Eden O'Brien: keyboards
Rees Chamberlain: electric bass
Eros Faulk: mixing, mastering

Press Photos: Zack Warpinski
Artwork: family photo, credit unknown

Press Contact: info@trailingtwelve.com

TTR036
© & ℗ 2026 Trailing Twelve. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Copying, Reproduction, Hiring, Lending, Public Performance, And Broadcasting Strictly Prohibited.

Release Date: 3 April 2026
Release Title: “Search and Destroy”
Artist: Annie Schultz

Follow Annie: instagram

BIO

Annie Schultz is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Drawing influence from songwriters like Elliott Smith and Nick Drake, they craft a sound defined by thoughtful, modal chord progressions and an emotionally intimate vocal delivery.

Schultz grew up in the Twin Cities and began learning guitar at age 14. They attended a performing arts high school, which deepened their musical education and introduced them to Minneapolis’ DIY house show scene. During this formative period, Schultz developed a lasting admiration for the legacy of local icons such as Prince, The Replacements, and Hüsker Dü - artists whose influence continues to shape independent music well beyond the Midwest.

Later, Schultz relocated to Olympia, Washington to pursue a degree in audio production at The Evergreen State College. Immersed in the Pacific Northwest’s musical history, they became increasingly drawn to the introspective songwriting of post-punk and gothic acts like Joy Division and The Cure, discovering emotional through-lines between post-punk’s stark intensity and the vulnerability of acoustic songwriting.

Bridging the earnest immediacy of singer-songwriter traditions with the moody, angular sensibilities of post-punk, Schultz has developed a distinctive and emotionally resonant sound. Fans of Elliott Smith, Phoebe Bridgers, and Angel Olsen will connect with the contemplative, dream-like atmosphere of their work.

After graduating from university, Schultz returned to the Twin Cities, where they are reconnecting with the local music community and continuing to evolve their project through both solo and full-band performances.

Schultz’s debut label EP, It Bends Until It Breaks, received immediate recognition, garnering press coverage from Wonderland, METAL, Under the Radar, Grimy Goods, Luna Collective, Ones To Watch, and CelebMix, along with official playlist support from Apple Music.

PRESS & FEATURES

"A voice that can make you fall to your knees and weep." - CelebMix

“An emotive and introspective masterpiece that delves deep into the complexities of self-discovery and personal growth" - Wonderland

"Entices you effortlessly through its lyrical personality and melodic form of seduction" - METAL

"unwinds gently and methodically, sprawling over a spacious expanse of dreamy synth beds and tremulous guitar textures" - Under The Radar

"focused and stunning in minimal production, allowing space for visceral connection as the singer-songwriter's angelic vocals carry you on this introspective journey" - Luna Collective