Steven Hall, the creative force behind the moniker Nirosta Steel, has long championed the philosophical concept of “deep play.” Coined by 18th-century philosopher Jeremy Bentham, the term describes a pursuit with impossible odds—a game that no rational person would choose to play. For Hall, this principle has been the guiding light of a life defined by artistic exploration, from his early days studying poetry with Allen Ginsberg to his pivotal creative partnership with the late Arthur Russell.
After decades of operating in the shadows and contributing to the legacies of others, Hall has finally stepped into the spotlight with his new album, MY SKYSCRAPER. Released via ULYSSA, the record is a paradoxical masterpiece—a gorgeously realized, fundamentally incomplete work that functions as both an archival triumph and one of the most thrilling new releases of 2026. It captures a specific, vanished sensibility of Downtown Manhattan, confirming Hall’s status as a peer to the legends he once collaborated with.
A Party Record of Paradoxes
MY SKYSCRAPER is, at its core, a party record, though its atmosphere shifts wildly from track to track. Hall possesses a unique vocal delivery that draws comparisons to David Byrne or Jonathan Richman, blending a lascivious edge with a stark, experimental sensibility. Whether he is channeling the falsetto brags of “Yhema” or the Balearic disco sensibilities of “Boss Trix (Benny’s Song),” Hall demonstrates an uncanny ability to seduce the listener, even when the subject matter veers into the absurd.
The Art of the Infinite
Much of the album is built upon the skeletons of songs revisited and augmented over decades. Like recent work by Cindy Lee, the record exists in a temporal vacuum, defying linear notions of progress. Many tracks exist in multiple permutations, with subtle production tweaks resulting in radically different emotional landscapes. This commitment to “pure tone” and an aversion to traditional vibrato—a hallmark of his work with Arthur Russell—gives the album a depth that feels like stepping through a cloud.
Ultimately, MY SKYSCRAPER is an invitation to engage with art as open-heartedly as it was created. It is a testament to the power of play, demanding much of the listener while offering a profound, immersive experience that makes the present moment feel like the only place worth inhabiting.