Norway’s Temperature Falls have taken things to the next level with their sound-design and artistry throughout this conceptually poignant and musically provocative new album.
Nobody To Believe In Anymore proves a confronting title, and the opening track reinforces this sense of self-consideration – Nothing Really Matters, another phrase and a subsequent mood that sends the listener deeper into a haunting realm of emptiness and uncertainty.
Immediately there’s an air of contemplation in the delicate riff, contrasted by the weight and fuzz of distortion and rhythm elsewhere – the vocals further this, softly breathy and intimate as they detail the reflection of the concept.
To build upon this all the more so, the song offers a decidedly catchy hook resolve, the title lingering indefinitely when the music has ended. It’s a strong start, and you can’t help but feel you’re involved for the long haul – times are tough, and an ever-immersive and purposeful Temperate Falls are consistently in tune with that.
Death By Suffocation follows and whilst poetic still there’s an alt-rock weight and tribal presence to this indie anthem, perhaps highlighting the reason for it being the single and video from the project.
Darkness pours through in concept and mood, as does juxtaposition between sections, and our lead singer puts in a bold and beautiful performance to emphasise this.
Later, heavy tumbling drums create further contrast for a slight Massive Attack feel leading into Incubus-esque expression with modern hip hop tendencies, as Leash Your Promises gets unpredictable and personal.
Whilst all of these qualities ring true to the band’s sense of freedom, the album undoubtedly leans in a direction all of its own. TF create from the moment, and the music reflects this.
Highlights include the minimal yet vastly enveloping I’ve Got A Knife, which connects for its metaphorical power and the implications intertwined with this. An industrially addictive, high-volume-required and deeply human I Need You To Hold Me is another, then there’s the bold fuzz and artistry of Pass Me A Cigarette (Remastered), with a latter half that wholly overwhelms.
And towards the finish, a brilliant hit of Sneaker Pimps, 6 Underground style intensity and dreamy melody unite for an absolute stand-out and personal favourite. The album even weaves in a grittily atmospheric closing track that again feels personal and somehow both gentle and harsh.
Though first impressions work well, this is naturally a collection worth revisiting – one I’ll be listening to a fair few times over as the winter season takes hold. This is true, actually, of the entire Temperature Falls catalogue. Always a band worth knowing about.
Find & follow Temperature Falls on Instagram or visit their Website.
