Immersive Squad
In Bliss
Richer and more varied than their shimmering debut, In Bliss finds True Blossom reimagining ‘80s dance, pop, and disco-funk in ways that feel fresh and contemporary. And while that last statement may make you think this album is all pulsating grooves and blithe coolness, there’s actually something darker—and, ultimately, far more intriguing—going on below the surface. While the band populate their with tracks with undulating basslines, warm synths, and sleek rhythmic contours, singer Sophie Cox pines for love, issues heart-torn laments, and confronts traumas old and new. That dichotomy isn’t a new one, but in a year where many of us sought escape by yearning for the past, In Bliss feels remarkably poignant. – GC
Upchuck EP
Upchuck’s music is punk for sure, but within that broad spectrum, it’s hard to categorize. On tracks like “Cross Fire,” there are hints of the early, playful Coathangers records—catchy guitar progressions, roaring hooks, stuff you can dance to. Thirty seconds later, it’s the late 2000s and I’m back in high school at a metal show at the Drunken Unicorn, preparing for a mosh pit and watching a singer climb the rafters. But this feels smarter than most of that stuff. It feels like this band has something new to say, some message shouted from the intersection of hardcore, metal, garage rock, and hip-hop. They’re not saying it in a way that feels lazy or forced, and there’s no specific formula—not even one they came up with themselves. They’re trying on different sounds, and, more importantly, they’re editing. With the exception of “Reaper,” these songs clock in between one and two-and-a-half minutes. – Dez Miller
Read the full review of the Upchuck EP.
Phantasma
The songwriting approach of established bands is often a process of consolidation rather than expansion, which is why I thought I knew exactly what to expect from Vincas’ third release. How many surprises could there be after nearly a decade together, especially having perfected a swampy, gloomy sound that anchored them as one of the premiere heavy bands of the South? Instead, Phantasma surprises at every turn, a shocking evolution in deathrock violence with goth club elements as decadent as they are dangerous. Whining Gun Club guitars and insistent drum machines propel the band into new territory without exorcising the haunted spirit of their first two albums. – RR
Decades of Breakfast
The genius of Warm Red’s debut LP lies in its friction. Frantic ‘80s post-punk chisels at grinding noise rock and Toni Gary’s anxious vocals collide with Jacob Armando’s drumbeats as the band attack societal malaise with cryptic narratives and memorable one-liners. The result is a tour de force of the uncertainty of existence led by a maturing group whose once obvious influences are now buried deep beneath their own caustic sound. The pacing of the album is slightly slower than their earlier material, which affords the listener added breathing room, but it translates to heaviness more than spaciousness. No longer does the band scramble to keep up with their own songs; instead they seem to savor the joy and bitterness of existence with each mercurial track. As they zig zag through dystopian neighborhoods, Warm Red pull double shifts as both post-punk revisionists and kinetic hypnotists. – RR
In the Meantime
Musically, Tommy Trautwein and company flesh out captivating backdrops that shift from agitated to serene without disrupting the record’s unifying atmosphere. From sparkling emo and lumbering slacker rock to starkly beautiful acoustic numbers, In the Meantime remains a consistently wistful affair full of thoughtful reflection and quiet revelations. It’s a record you can rock out to at times, especially when confronted by the tension-filled vigor of tracks like “Oh, Charise.” But ultimately, it’s a record that finds its catharsis in introspection over instinct, in shrewd organization over noisy tumult. Well Kept have crafted a smart and poignant debut, one that grows bigger and more generous with every listen.– GC
Read the full review of In the Meantime.