Gaming Meets Music: crushed’s ‘no scope’ Album Interview

Last Updated on 2025-09-24 by a-indie

crushed, formed through songs played on late-night radio.

Bre and Shaun, who work long-distance between LA and Portland, draw tremendous inspiration from video games like ‘METAL GEAR SOLID’ and ‘Silent Hill,’ incorporating this into their music production.

Particularly, they deeply empathize with the character Sniper Wolf, and the song “oneshot,” which sublimates the inspiration gained from her into lyrics, will move not only music fans but also game fans.

Their debut album ‘no scope’ skillfully uses gaming terminology to express modern loneliness and nihilism.

This noteworthy duo, with roots in Cocteau Twins and Portishead, presents a completely new musical experience that also incorporates games into their expression.

Please definitely read their interview together with the lyrics commentary article for “oneshot” that we published recently.

Formation and Meeting of crushed

Artists: Bre Morell, Shaun Durkan　Interviewer: Tomohiro Yabe　Translation, Editing, Proofreading: BELONG Media / A-indie

Fateful Meeting Through Radio Shows

-Tomohiro Yabe: First, could you tell us about how crushed was formed? I understand that Bre hosted a late-night radio show in college and often played songs by Weekend, the band Shaun was previously in. Then about 10 years later, Shaun played a Temple of Angels song (Bre’s band) on his own show. This led to Bre reaching out with a message, which eventually formed this duo. It’s a wonderful story, but what made each of you want to play the other’s music in the first place?

Bre: When we received Weekend’s first record at my college station KVRX, my friend Joe who was in charge of screening incoming mail set aside the CD for me, because he knew it was very much up my alley. I fell in love with that record, wore out the CD in my car, and played it on my show often.

Shaun: It was Bre’s voice that really set her band apart from the others i was discovering at that time. I was excited by the idea of working with someone who could deliver vocal performances like those i heard.

Long-Distance Band Formation

-Tomohiro Yabe: You two are based in the distant cities of Los Angeles and Portland. After Shaun played the Temple of Angels song, how did you actually meet and decide to form crushed?

Bre: We became friends online over time and discovered a shared love for a lot of alternative pop from the 90’s and thought it would be fun to write some songs like that. We actually wrote most of our first EP ‘Extra Life’ before we had even met in person, just sharing files and ideas back and forth online.

Concept and Musicality of crushed

Origin of the Artist Name

-Tomohiro Yabe: Regarding your artist name, when I looked up the word “crushed,” it seems to be a versatile word that can describe ingredients being finely crushed in cooking, the feeling of defeat in sports, or having your heart “crushed” when facing life’s difficulties. What made you choose this word as your artist name? Could you tell us about its origin?

Bre: Having your heart crushed basically sums it up haha – but it is also the name of one of my favorite Cocteau Twins songs, and I had it saved in a list of band name ideas in my phone for ages. When this project came around, it felt like a great fit & Shaun liked it too.

Musical Roots and Regional Influences

-Tomohiro Yabe: How do your respective home bases of Los Angeles and Portland influence your music? Musically, I sense a strong influence from UK Bristol sound, particularly trip-hop. Are these musical styles popular in your local scenes? Could you tell us about your local music scenes?

Shaun: I’m not really sure what the Portland music scene is, I feel like I operate very outside of whatever is going on locally. But i am very inspired by Portland as a city and a place to work. Its beautiful and gritty and full of people living life in the margins.

Bre: Similarly to Shaun my musical influences come from all over the world and not necessarily what’s happening in Los Angeles at the moment. Music from the UK, especially Bristol and Manchester, have certainly been a lifelong inspiration to me.

-Tomohiro Yabe: Our media has a concept called “Roots Rock,” where we aim to understand an artist’s musicality more deeply by learning about their roots. Could you tell us about three albums that are foundational to crushed? What kind of influence did each one have on you?

Bre: Cocteau Twins – Milk and Kisses, The Sundays – Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, Portishead – Dummy. Liz Fraser, Harriett Wheeler, and Beth Gibbons are three of my favorite vocalists of all time, and all of their work has greatly influential in helping me find my own voice – especially for this project.

Shaun: Third Eye Blind – S/t. Burial – Untrue. Pinback – Summer in Abaddon