Adriana McCassim is an LA-based, Asheville-raised songwriter who shares with us her new single “Rust” out everywhere today. Returning to I’m Into Life Records, this is the first bit of new music from McCassim since her debut LP, See It Fades. Released back in 2024, McCassim invited the discomforts and bad habits into her dynamic space, her deliverance nothing short of empowering, bringing both a gripping presence and tender release to the here and now that she was writing from. Now brushing off the cobwebs, “Rust” finds McCassim returning to this space with both vulnerability and perseverance.
With a chill in the air, “Rust” opens with a voicing of gentle synths that spread like goosebumps down your arms, only brought to a reasoning from the light drum machine underneath. Although McCassim’s voice is the haunting focal point of each one of her songs, each instrumental piece becomes a limb in and of itself as “Rust” embodies a full heart consumed by a lost soul. As rich guitars rattle from its core, pumping blood throughout the space, we can’t help but to wonder if it’s enough to keep going. McCassim’s simple, yet fixated refrain, “Don’t rust your love”, leaves each word to its own means as she grapples with the space left open to the elements.
Photo Courtesy of Adriana McCassim
About the single, McCassim shares, “Rust is about the fear of corroding something beautiful – a plainspoken reflection on self-sabotage, intimacy, and the struggle to let someone in. It’s rooted in country music I was listening to at the time, and recorded mostly live. The track layers drum machines and electronic textures to create that textural world. This was the first time I played with a drum machine and live drums. It felt more human and interesting to listen to. We wanted this drone effect, and repetition, that eventually falls down by the end of the song emulating the lyrics.”
Listen to “Rust” here!
We also got to ask McCassim a few questions about “Rust” and how it came to be.
Following your debut LP, See It Fades, released late last year, as you continue to write and record, where does “Rust” fall into where you’re at in your life both creatively and personally?
Rust, to me, feels like a bridge in between See It Fades and this next record I’ve been working on. I was really on the fence with whether or not to include it on the next thing, but it felt so singular and important to put out now. I wrote Rust about this period in my relationship where I was really navigating self-sabotage and trusting myself. It really lives in its own world, creatively speaking, and feels like something other people might relate to.
Compared to the process on your last release, were there elements when writing “Rust” that came out of trying something different? Was there anything you challenged yourself to accomplish?
I think so, yes. This song was written in one sitting, oddly enough, while I was taking a School of Song Adrianne Lenker class. We were working on incorporating the idea of droning sections while writing – this song fit that mold especially just living within two chords the entire time. I really challenged myself to be as literal and honest as possible. Almost like an unravelling.
I also felt excited about starting this song with a drum machine, sort of in the demo phase, and following through with using it in the final version. Which we ended up achieving 🙂
Your songwriting has always been strickenly personal, and this song grapples with habits and the struggle to let someone in. Were there any feelings that surprised you as it was coming together? Do you find any comfort in the song, or does it sit as more of a reflective piece?
Totally. Everything that fell out first go around is pretty much in the song now. There’s words about corroding my relationship, my previous issues with ED, and just feeling deep self defeat. I wasn’t necessarily expecting that to unravel in one frame.
Now when I listen back, it does feel really comforting. Like a reminder and less punishing.
“Rust” was written inspired by the country music you were listening to at the time. What elements of a country song draw you in and how did they influence how this song came to be?
What I love most about country music is how honest and plainspoken it is. Oftentimes, it feels like a story first go around without fear of upsetting the listener. I wanted to emulate that. I was listening to a lot of Bill Callahan and Arthur Russell albums at the time.
Do you have anything planned for the future?
We are about half way through working on a new album right now, I feel so excited about what we’ve made so far. It’s such a different approach than See It Fades, mostly done live in the room at my house. Can’t wait to share it hopefully next year. We will see 🙂
You can listen to “Rust” out now, as well as order a cassette of See It Fades via I’m Into Life Records.
As a small music journal, we rely heavily on the work of independent tape labels to discover and share the incredible artists that we have dedicated this site to. Whether through press lists, recommendations, artist connections, social media support or supplying physicals, these homemade labels are the often-unsung heroes of the industry. Today, the ugly hug is highlighting the work of our friends over at I’m Into Life Records.
I’m Into Life Records is a tape label out of Ashville, North Carolina that was founded in 2022 by Ethan Hoffman-Sadka, who also releases music under the project Trust Blinks. What began as happenstance for Ethan to help some buddies out with their debut album has since grown into a mighty collection of recordings from an eclectic roster of artists. With a focus on the found community that comes with sharing music, I’m Into Life has become a staple in many scenes across the country. Over the years, the label has shared the works of remarkable artists such as Open Head, Laceleaf, Jolee Go, Tombstone Poetry, Good Trauma, Nobel Beast, Idle County, Finnish Postcard, Theadoore, Fraternal Twin, Adriana McCassim and Molly Drag.
We got to chat with Ethan about how the label began, what lessons he has learned and how the label got its image.
Early Label Days
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Ugly Hug: What sparked the idea to start a label? What were the initial goals, and have you seen those goals shift over time as you get more practice?
Ethan Hoffman-Sadka: It’s funny, I just did a music business presentation about the label, so I’m ready to talk about it [laughs]. What sparked the label starting was actually my friend’s band Open Head finished their debut album and they didn’t have a home for it or a way to market it. The label started from their release. Just as a way to help them and make vinyl for them. And then from there it grew a little and I was like, ‘Okay, I guess we’ll just roll with it’.
Did you have any prior experience with the whole releasing and marketing aspects of a label? Did you do any of that work when it came to your own projects?
I knew nothing about physicals. I think I had probably by then ordered tapes for my own music, but I also didn’t really start getting into music until a few years prior to starting the label. I was kind of a late bloomer, but I knew a little bit about the industry stuff. I used to work for this music blog called Alston Pudding when I lived in Boston and I did all their video stuff for them. And I also ran a social media account for my hedgehog at the time called Spiked Jones [laughs], so that was all I knew about using Instagram. I definitely learned the hard way how expensive vinyl is and have since pivoted to really prioritizing tape and CD releases.
covid times record store drop off at Dusty Records
Starting with Open Head, a few of the first artists you worked with were Jolee Go and Laceleaf. How did you approach finding the artists you worked with and how did you build this little community?
I’m not sure how I found Jolee Go, I think we just had mutual friends. And then serendipitously I had moved to Los Angeles around that time, and she was moving there. We’re both from New York, so I just really resonated with her first EP and saw that she didn’t have any merch for it. So, I just reached out and offered and then we developed a nice friendship. That was a kind of random one off. But after those first three releases, it more solidified an idea that it’s sort of a collective vibe, and if one artist succeeds, then everyone succeeds and gets a little more traction. To this day that’s kind of what makes the label worth it in my eyes. Artists that join the label are kind of all in this together.
As you started to build out your catalog, piecing together all these bands and making physicals, what were some of the trial and errors that you experienced, and what did you learn to embrace that has brought the label into what it is today?
This was actually a big part of the point I was trying to make in that music business lecture. You have to learn to straddle this line of being DIY, but not being a total punk, and still having some sort of business acumen. As much as it sucks, you do have to think about things like, ‘oh, will these tapes sell so you don’t just go bankrupt?’ So, I think I’ve definitely learned that. even if I am so confident in a release and love the music so much, you still need to plan around that in a financial way. It’s hard not to be like, ‘oh, I’m so in love with this release, you guys deserve vinyl.’ Which I still believe in my heart, but I’ve had to learn to be more practical. Also, this is probably not the best business minded idea, but I am always encouraging artists that if they get a bigger opportunity that they should go for it and sign to a bigger label that can pay out better. It was really exciting when Open Head just signed to Wharf Cat. It was a cool, full circle thing to have gotten to give them some sort of small platform.
polaroid of triple split crew Tombstone Poetry, Hiding Places and Trust Blinks
When things become so hectic, what makes you most excited to run a label?
A lot of it comes from the releases, where I’ll hear something that’s so different or weird, and it reinvigorates that excitement for music. Our most recent release, Fool’s Errand by Theodore, it’s the project of Grace Ward whose music I’ve loved for a long time. But hearing their new album was such a great experience – the music is so creepy and cool and complicated, but it makes sense. So definitely the releases keep that fun and excitement going when they’re sent to me. And then also I just try to keep it fun with shipping out the orders. I’m always at the dollar tree, buying weird stickers and candy to fill the orders. I definitely want each package to feel like a Wonka Bar or something.
It’s all in the name. Who designed that animated poster that you use often? It’s such a fun visual.
So that original artwork actually came from my grandpa. He was an illustrator in the sixties in New York City, and every now and then we’ll come across one of his pieces online. That one I couldn’t find what it was illustrated for, so a friend helped me restore the image, and then we pulled the logo from it. We have not gotten into any legal ramifications for using it so far [laughs].
So is that where the name for the label came from, too?
Yes, it was in that poster. I’d imagine it came from some sort of magazine he did. So really, in the beginning, I had the release first and then started the label, kind of working backwards. So I definitely needed to think of a name. I pulled a few friends and I was definitely looking at some cool, more mysterious and edgy names, but that one kind of stuck with me because it was so almost not cool [laughs]. Especially because a lot of our music falls into a category of, ‘we’re all depressed and anxious’. But, you know, we’re still trying to make the best of it. And as long as that doesn’t get grouped into pro-life. sentiments, then, yeah, that’s how the name came about [laughs].
An I’m Into Life Poster hanging up at the Post Office
What are some releases that have stuck with you over the span of the label’s history?
A big one was organizing the Halloween covers compilation. It was shortly after the label started and I thought it would be cool to do something to help put the label on the map. I’m so obsessed with Halloween and so obsessed with so many of the artists on that compilation. I’m definitely still proud of that one just because I think it’s pretty unusual to make this grouping of songs where you encourage all the artists to record a whole new song. It was a lot of work, and I had to start it like over 6 months in advance and then keep following up with artists because we’re all super spacey. It definitely snowballed and became this huge thing that really did help put the label on the map for a little bit and get on those huge blogs that we hate like Pitchfork and stuff [laughs].
Some of the I’m Into Life back catalog and merch
You’ve done a handful of comp releases, one of the more recent being the Hurrican Helene relief comp, Song to the Siren. Do you see yourself doing more compilations? Does it feel like a thing that kind of encompasses and connects what’s around you?
Definitely. A lot of the time, unless I really find someone who I’m obsessed with their music and they happen to not already have a label or a friend making merch for them, I don’t have a project I’m working on. At least with the compilations I have the control to make something happen instead of waiting around. The fundraiser ones are great because we can actually do something meaningful to the rest of the world. But with the #1 and #2, I wanted to tap into some really specific sounds, that if you’re kind of in the scene, you’re kind of aware as to how all these bands are connected. It’s cool to put that in a compilation and see all these artists on the same release.
Do you have anything in the works that you’re looking forward to?
It’ll sound kind of sad, but I have literally nothing in the works which is exciting to me. I have learned now over the years that I’ll have nothing on my radar, and then something will come out of nowhere, whether it’s like a new artist or a new release from an existing artist. That’s an anti-answer, but that’s how it seems to go. I had no releases for a while and then suddenly July became such a busy month. So, I’ll probably just be working on some retroactive promotion and pushing the older catalog.
Along with this series, our friends over at I’m Into Life Records are offering a merch bundle giveaway! The bundle includes How Could I Be So In Debt? vinyl (2024) by Tombstone Poetry, Hiding Places, trust blinks., Tombstone Poetry Split x3 (2025) cassette, Fool’s Errand cassette (2025) by Theadoore, as well as some I’m Into Life and ugly hug goodies.
To enter the giveaway, follow these easy steps below!
the ugly hug 