New York City-based singer-songwriter Noah Rauchwerk, recording as Wormy, has released his new single and video, “Cocaine Bear,” the third track unveiled from his upcoming album, Shark River, due out January 16, 2026, via Rose Garden.

Released on Christmas Day, “Cocaine Bear” is a slow-burning, fuzzed-out ballad that uses deadpan humor and restraint to explore fear, mortality, and escapism. Despite its title, the song isn’t a tribute to the 2023 film so much as a reflection on distraction, using movies, routines, and movement to avoid sitting with difficult thoughts.

“This is a song about running away from your feelings by going to the movies and watching two back to back,” Rauchwerk explains. “It’s about being scared of dying. Perfect days end just as quickly as horrible ones, and they never come back.”

The single follows earlier releases “Give Up,” produced by Samia and Renny Conti, and “27 Days,” both of which have received coverage from outlets including Northern Transmissions, Daily Music Report, BrooklynVegan, Chorus.fm, Americana Highways, and Son of Marketing.

Shark River captures Rauchwerk grappling with impermanence, loneliness, and fractured relationships shaped by years spent touring as a drummer for artists such as Samia, Renny Conti, and Willow Avalon. The album balances understated indie folk songwriting with emo-leaning vocal delivery, often blurring the line between melodic singing and conversational storytelling.

Across the record, Rauchwerk reflects on life in transit, relationships formed briefly and left behind, familiar places that no longer feel safe, and the tension between building a life and simply living one. While themes of doubt and burnout run throughout Shark River, moments of warmth and quiet optimism surface, grounding the album in honesty rather than despair.

“Cocaine Bear” is out now. Shark River arrives January 16, 2026.

Wormy Links
Website
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
Bandcamp