The world is no longer the same as it was a few years ago. Much has changed in a short time, including the direction that punk and hardcore are taking. The band Turnstile released their fourth studio album, Glow On , on August 27th, becoming the flagship of the current scene.
The quintet, composed of Brady Ebert , Daniel Fang , Brendan Yates , Franz Lyons and Pat McCrory , resumed work after three years. The goal of the new album was not to continue what was being done on Time & Space , but rather to mix new elements with the hardcore energy that has always been with them.
Those familiar with the band know that any of their songs encourage movement. It doesn't matter what the lyrics are about, whether it's happy or sad. Turnstile is one of the few hardcore bands that asks you to dance. In Glow On , this is further emphasized with the inclusion of different genres in the songs.
“Mystery,” the opening track, begins with a few seconds of synth to set the stage, followed by guitars and the echo of vocalist Brendan Yates. It’s a prelude to what’s to come, the vibrancy and energy carried throughout the album.
In “Blackout,” Yates understands that being the frontman of the most popular hardcore band today means he also needs to entertain, in addition to just being the artist. He sings: “Oh yeah, and if it makes you feel alive/Well then I'm happy I provide/And when you see me on the floor/It's just a part of my show.”
Therefore, having to entertain also means innovating. In “Don't Play”, Turnstile fully embraces Latin soul , without abandoning the classic hardcore breakdowns. The overall execution of the song was so good that it's impossible not to imagine the kind of power it will exert on fans during a live show. Again, Turnstile shows what he's made of, dancing and encouraging the listener to do the same.
In the following track, the tone becomes more melodic and calm. “Underwater Boi” takes the opportunity to bring a mix of shoegaze and dream pop , something relatively more common among hardcore bands in recent years. A great example is the album Hyperview , by Title Fight , which made extensive use of this technique.
And despite the big risk of slowing down like this, with an audience desperately anticipating something new from a band that has a history of going all out with every release, "Underwater Boi" was well-received and became a fan favorite.
Among the singles released since the beginning of the year, “Holiday” reinforces the feeling of liveliness, warmth, and a desire to intensify life. Yates shouts “Too bright to live/Too bright to die/I wanna celebrate!”, without needing to justify himself, without needing to follow a single direction. The track demands your attention, it wants to show that Turnstile is simply happy to be here.
Other songs, such as “Humanoid/Shake It Up” and “Endless,” were conceived in a way that helps the album feel complete. They are short, energetic, and fit the overall theme and feel of the complete tracklist, but their compositions are simple and have less impact.
“Fly Again” opens with a gentle piano touch, paying homage to Yates’ grandfather, who was a jazz pianist. With a heavier lyrical feel, the song becomes the central riff track on the album.
In “Alien Love Connection”, Turnstile joins forces with Blood Orange to create a melodic, reverb-laden sound, completely different from anything the band had done up to that point in their entire career. In the final song, “Lonely Dezires”, also featuring the British artist, the feeling of vertigo comes and goes in the last three minutes with various filters from older punk bands.
Still exploring the intense theme of what it means to live and how to make the most of your time on Earth, “Dance-Off” experiments with different effects on top of the standardized drum layer, questioning: is the world changing or am I the one who is different?
“New Heart Design” would easily fit into an indie rock band, except for Yates' screams here and there. The loose reverb on the guitar lines, which already has its own Californian feel, along with the spoken playback at the end, shows a common formula. In the context of Turnstile, this is something new.
“TLC (Turnstile Love Connection)” is the most “true” track on the album, more classic and attached to the already known hardcore sound. The frenetic beat, the screams, the speed and changes within a little over a minute and a half. “No Surprises”, with vocals by bassist Franz Lyons, is the last breath before the final song, almost like a goodbye before the farewell party.
The album was produced by Mike Elizondo , an industry veteran with a portfolio ranging from Mastodon to the Jonas Brothers . His direction took Glow On to a new level, giving it the sound it needed and adding more refined details.
In total, there are 15 tracks that arrived at the right time, with a band that has matured and decided on the direction it wants to take, even if it means abandoning typical hardcore punk labels. In the end, younger fans and those just entering the scene no longer care about that; they just want to experience the genre's transformation and dance.
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