Sacha Mullin soars on a dazzling Pop record, “Social Touch”
When an artist wins an award such as the Chicago Reader’s Best Pop Artist, it’d certainly be easy to coast on that forever. However, Sacha Mullin did the complete opposite. He used the moment to push his art-rock songwriting in a more pop-forward direction, and the result is “Social Touch,” his fourth album that just released on October 19th, 2026. Trust us when we say it’s an absolute blast of a record and worth enjoying untouched from start to finish.
You’ll notice very quickly that the heart of it is in Mullin’s voice. The Chicago-based singer songwriter and educator has long been known for a singing style that’s commanding and vulnerable at once, and this album shows off that duality in the coolest way. He moves from hushed, precise passages to sudden, soaring moments of intensity without ever losing control. His voice is incredibly soulful and it bends to fit whatever each song asks of it. His range is equally impressive, but what really lands is how he uses it.
This is certainly a pop record, but it’s never just a pop record. Jazz, art-rock, and experimental ideas all slip in through the side door, and they bring melodies and richly layered, harmonically adventurous arrangements with them. Critics have often compared him to David Sylvian and Jeff Buckley. However we’ve got a bit of a different take on it. We mentioned it to him directly, but there’s an outstanding band called Everything Everything that he emulates in certain vocal structures. It’s in that art rock space and without him even hearing of them, took on that approach!
The production deserves real praise too! Everything sounds crisp, spacious, and carefully considered, and you can tell Mullin’s vision came fully to life. We also had the chance to sit down with Sacha for an in-depth interview, and it was a lovely conversation. We talked about how the record was made, his creative process, and the meaning behind it all, and he gave us a look at what else is on the way. Hearing him unpack his thinking only made the album more rewarding. Getting to actually hear the joy in his voice on the making of this record was more than enough to make us long time fans!
All in all, “Social Touch” is a vibrant, richly textured pop album from an artist who refuses to make anything ordinary. It’s adventurous, catchy, and it’s driven by one of the most expressive voices working right now. We’re happy to follow him into the future of his career. But for now, go ahead and click those links below to listen in, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for more!
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