As the June 27th release of Conspire draws near, Arizona- and Philadelphia-based A Stick and A Stone is now streaming “Kill Him,” the second preview from the record. While staying true to the dark, experimental roots of A Stick and A Stone’s previous albums, Conspire stands out for its descents into feral noise-scapes from ambient minimalism, and for its bold political messages woven into the lyrics.
Speaking about the background and inspiration behind the song “Kill Him,” Elliott Miskovicz — the architect, vocalist, and composer behind the A Stick and A Stone collaborative — shares:
“This song is a meditation on healing intergenerational trauma from gendered violence — by giving voice to revenge fantasies we’re not supposed to speak aloud. I wrote it after a man hurt a young person close to me (I’m keeping the details vague for their safety). Over time, the song became a way to reckon with how violence ripples through bloodlines, haunting families across generations.
‘Kill Him’ is where grief shapeshifts into a fire — not to harm, but to protect. It’s a ritual to sever inherited wounds, and to end the cycle of silence before it begins again.”
Alongside its digital release, Conspire will be available on cassette via Fiadh Productions and CD via Mutual Aid Records
Stream “Kill Him” + Pre-Order Conspire (cassettes/CDs) on Bandcamp.
A record release event for Conspire will take place on June 29th at Space 1026, Philladelphia, PA, featuring performance by St Sol, Spectral Forces, Moondrifts, Vidrozhena, and Cadence Luxe.
Conspire Album Cover
A Stick And A Stone is the project of vocalist/composer Elliott Miskovicz along with a network of collaborating musicians and artist-activists. Performing as an openly trans and disabled artist, Miskovicz’s work has been rooted in and nourished by cultures of resistance since 2007. Touring the underground DIY circuit extensively, A Stick And A Stone has been found performing everywhere from cathedrals and queer festivals to public rituals and punk houses for over 15 years. For this album, the project includes the chaotic percussion of Olivia Cadence Luxe (Divide and Dissolve), mesmerizing harp of Myles Donovan (Disemballerina), cacophonous sax harmonics of Wren Radix, dissonant synth of Benjamin Schurr (Ruah), subtle viola of Billy Ray Boyer (Aradia), and brooding cello of Rhys Jewell—all layered beneath the haunting choral harmonies of vocalist Elliott Miskovicz.
A Stick And A Stone’s Conspire is at once a wake up call and a refuge; a battle cry and an elixir. Miskovicz’s wails about war, climate, plague, and gendered violence contrast with hushed liturgies of support networks, wilderness, and hope. Soaring vocal hooks offer a guiding light through dark tunnels of fervent grief and rage. Reversed loops and off-kilter beats allude to nonlinear time cycles and the search for stillness in the storm.
Despite the mutiny it conjures, Conspire remains deeply intimate, with sounds of deep breaths and heartbeats anchoring Miskovicz’s candid lyrics. Samples of wild animals and protest speeches intersperse with conversations he recorded with children about their solutions to global problems.
The lyrics range from urgent calls to action (“…rip out the roads from the map, like veins from the cadaver of a killer.”) to poetic reminders of beauty amidst destruction (“…stay here, among the swirling branches laced with lichen.”) The roots of the word “conspire” mean “to breathe together,” stemming from “con-” meaning together and “-spire” meaning to breathe. A Stick And A Stone’s Conspire is a gasp for air amidst the fever-pitch upheavals of our time.
Track Listing:
01. The birds are spiraling backwards [Listen]
02. Microbial Relatives
03. Cartographer’s Wrench
04. Carving out a doorway
05. White Moth Wing Mountain: Oblivion
06. Rinse/Repeat
07. Kill him [Listen]
08. White Moth Wing Mountain: Adrenaline
09. Exile and Pride
10. …And we will stop them
11. Red Planet
Album Credits:
All songs composed, produced, and home recorded by Elliott Miskovicz.
Elliott Miskovicz – Voice, bass, shruti box, xylophone, field recordings
Olivia Cadence Luxe – Percussion
Myles Donovan – Harp
Billy Ray Boyer – Viola
Wren Radix – Woodwinds
Benjamin Schurr – Synth
Rhys Jewell – Cello
Nolan Thomas – Synth
Mixed by Hazel Henry (tracks 3–8, 11)
Mixed by Benjamin Schurr (tracks 1–4, 9–10)
Mastered by Mell Dettmer
Cover: Raw flip phone photo by Elliott Miskovicz, taken at a vestibular lab
Insert art: Barzin Savaji of Taashvish
Dedicated to Bella Bluu Del Missier
For More Info:
https://www.astickandastone.com
https://www.facebook.com/astickandastone
https://www.instagram.com/astickandastone
https://linktr.ee/fiadhproductions
https://fiadh.bandcamp.com
https://mutualaidrecords.square.site
https://mutualaidrecords.bandcamp.com
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