California post hardcore band Movements have unveiled the final track from their forthcoming fourth album, *Happier Now*, with the release of *Separate* ahead of the record’s September 4 arrival.
by Paul Cashmere
Movements have released the new single Separate, the closing track from the band’s forthcoming fourth studio album Happier Now, which will be released on September 4 through Fearless Records. The song arrives alongside a new video and offers another preview of the Southern California group’s next chapter, following earlier singles Dissolve Me and Back In My Ways.
The release marks the latest step in the rollout for Happier Now, the band’s first album since 2023’s RUCKUS!. Produced once again by Grammy Award winning producer Will Yip, the record reunites Movements with a collaborator who has been central to the band’s catalogue since its debut EP a decade ago. The album also arrives as the group continues to expand its audience following extensive international touring, including a sold out Australian arena run earlier this year supporting Pierce The Veil.
Separate closes the new album and reflects the introspective songwriting that has become a defining characteristic of the band’s work. According to vocalist Patrick Miranda, the song was inspired by a particularly difficult period during the album’s creation.
“Separate is about a turning point I experienced during the writing of this album,” Miranda said. “Between creative friction, internal and intrapersonal struggles, and the weight of needing to create something that felt meaningful, the stress of it all hit me hard. I felt like I had nothing more to offer in that moment.”
He said withdrawing from those pressures became the emotional basis for the song.
“Instead of fighting it, I withdrew. It’s about feeling so overwhelmed in life that instead of confronting the issue, you just want to separate entirely from whatever situation is causing it.”
Thematically, Separate continues Movements’ long established approach of pairing emotionally direct lyrics with post hardcore dynamics that balance melodic passages against heavier guitar driven arrangements. It follows Dissolve Me and Back In My Ways, two songs Miranda has previously described as helping define the musical direction of Happier Now by reconnecting elements of the band’s earlier sound with the broader sonic palette introduced on RUCKUS!.
Formed in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, in 2015, Movements established themselves unusually quickly. After playing only a single local show, the band secured a recording contract with Fearless Records. Their debut EP, Outgrown Things, arrived in 2016, introducing a sound that blended post hardcore, alternative rock and emo revival influences under the guidance of producer Will Yip.
The band’s first full length album, Feel Something, followed in 2017 and became a breakthrough release, reaching No. 190 on the Billboard 200 while also climbing to No. 2 on Billboard’s Top New Artist Albums chart. It established Movements as one of the leading acts within the modern post hardcore scene and was followed by No Good Left To Give in 2020 and RUCKUS! in 2023.
Across those releases, Miranda’s songwriting has frequently drawn from personal experiences, including struggles with anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. Those themes have become central to the band’s identity while resonating with a growing international audience.
The current lineup features Patrick Miranda on vocals, Austin Cressey on bass, Spencer York on drums and Ira George on guitar. George joined the band in 2016 following the departure of founding guitarist Brett Chiodo.
Happier Now also represents another milestone in Movements’ long running partnership with Will Yip, whose production work with artists including Turnstile, Title Fight and Circa Survive has helped shape modern alternative and post hardcore music. As veteran performers within the scene, Movements have continued evolving while maintaining the emotionally driven songwriting that first brought them attention.
Following the album’s release, the band will headline a United States tour in October with support from Balance And Composure, Midrift and NIIS. The run follows their recent Australian dates supporting Pierce The Veil and is expected to introduce much of Happier Now to audiences for the first time.
Happier Now Tracklisting
Pulse
Dissolve Me
Everything Is Fine
Happier Now
Flowerbed
Back In My Ways
Spellbound
Ill At Ease
Live By The Sword
Everyone I’ve Ever Been
Fragile Hands
Separate
October U.S. headline tour dates with Balance And Composure, Midrift and NIIS will be announced by the band.
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