There’s something quietly magnetic about a track that feels like it was made for late-night headphones and half-finished notebooks. “Black-winged Stilt,” the new collaboration between Woody Goss of Vulfpeck and Secret Bad Boy, lands right in that sweet spot. It’s bedroom lo-fi pop with downtempo pulse, study-beat ease, and just enough jazz-hop and chill-hop flavor to keep your head nodding without ever raising its voice.
Woody Goss already has a reputation for warm, precise playing that somehow still feels loose and human. Here he links up with Secret Bad Boy, the art-pop project of Chicago musician Ben Joseph. Ben has spent years as a longtime member of Ezra Furman’s band, so the connection makes sense on paper. What they actually deliver is even more interesting: an instrumental and spoken-word piece inspired by a painting that also serves as the cover art. The whole thing doubles as a gentle tribute to the black-winged stilt itself, that long-legged shorebird with the elegant silhouette.
The production stays true to the bedroom and lo-fi aesthetic. Soft edges, unhurried grooves, and a texture that invites you to settle in rather than chase a big chorus. There’s a spoken-word thread running through it that never feels forced; it simply sits inside the music the way a quiet thought sits inside a rainy afternoon. You get the sense both artists were more interested in atmosphere and small details than in proving anything. That restraint is part of what makes the track land so cleanly.
Secret Bad Boy has been building a sound around rich synth textures and unexpected turns. The project already draws in collaborators like Woody Goss, Ezra Furman, Packy Lundholm, members of Mild High Club, and even Brian Wilson collaborator Paul Von Mertens. A string of new singles is planned for 2026, with a debut album expected in 2027. “Black-winged Stilt” feels like an early signal of that direction: thoughtful, collaborative, and more concerned with mood than spectacle.
In a moment when lo-fi and chill-hop playlists are still doing heavy lifting for focus sessions, late-night drives, and background listening, this collab fits right in without sounding like it was made to fill a template. It carries the quiet confidence of two musicians who know each other’s instincts. Another collaboration between them is already on the horizon, which only makes this one feel like a first chapter rather than a one-off.
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What do you make of this one? Does the spoken-word element pull you in, or is it the overall texture that sticks? Drop your thoughts in the comments—curious to hear how it lands for you.
