Ventura County’s rising alt-indie outfit Strange Case are back with their new single “HBK,” continuing the momentum behind Jakob Nowell’s new independent label, SVN/BVRNT Records—a project rooted in the same creative lineage that helped shape Sublime’s long-running influence across Southern California.
While Strange Case are very much a rock band, their approach taps into a familiar SoCal spirit: sun-drenched guitars, a DIY ethos, and a sense of emotional honesty that carries through generations of music from this coastline. “This song’s written about that person you just can’t keep up with,” Bassist Aaron Chapman explains. “Despite how they run you around… you just can’t scrub them from your brain.”
As SVN/BVRNT’s first official signing, Strange Case represent the label’s mission to spotlight young artists pushing the region’s music forward. Formed by high-school friends Vandervort and Mikey Netka, the band blends elements of ’60s surf tone, indie melancholy, and West Coast melody, crafting a sound that sits comfortably within SoCal’s long history of genre-mixing—from alt-rock and reggae to punk and garage.
Their breakthrough single “27 Club” earned rotation on KROQ and has now surpassed 1.6 million Spotify streams, setting the stage for “HBK” to launch a new chapter for both the band and the emerging SVN/BVRNT imprint.
This week, “HBK” also takes the spotlight as The Pier’s official Skratch N’ Sniff Song of the Week and will be featured nationwide on Skratch N’ Sniff’s syndicated radio show this weekend. The pick underscores the track’s infectious energy, emotional punch, and the band’s fast-growing presence across both regional scenes and national airwaves.
Strange Case may not be a reggae act, but their connection to Nowell—and by extension, Sublime’s extended creative universe—positions them as part of a broader movement redefining what Southern California music can be in 2026 and beyond.
Check out the song here:
